Geo-Political and Economic Organization of Asean Essay

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress, and cultural development among its members, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully. ASEAN has emphasized regional cooperation in the â€Å"three pillars†, which are security, sociocultural integration, and economic integration. The regional grouping has made the most progress in economic integration by creating an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. AEC envisages the following key characteristics: (a) a single market and production base, (b) a highly competitive economic region, (c) a region of equitable economic development, and (d) a region fully integrated into the global economy. The implementation of AEC is able to boost economic returns of countries in ASEAN due to cooperative and collaborative as a group could have generated a larger overall pool of benefits to be distributed among than countries than each will ultimately achieve by working on its own. But nevertheless in my opinion, Thailand will be of great concerns to many businesses in the region when AEC is established. Thailand possess in an advantageous geographical position which is located at the strategic center position in ASEAN, foreign companies be obliged to set up a solid foundation for the base material storage and product distribution to export their products to the countries in ASEAN if they are intend to establish market in ASEAN. Other than that, open economy policy of Thailand is closely integrated in the AEC blueprint. Thus it can be seen, Thailand’s markets will be benefit most among the countries in ASEAN when it come into effect in 2015. According to a news report on Thailand newspaper World Journal, also known as Chinese Daily News, a sense of urgency is palpable in enterprises all type and in virtually every industry in Thailand since AEC will be organize soon. A number of listed companies adjusting corporate business strategies and formulating an aggressiveness marketing program are being stepped up without cease in order to meet the new challenges and opportunities that will be  occur after two or three years. Managing director of TICON (Ticon Industrial Connection Public Company Limited), Mr. Virapan Pulges indicated that TICON had already the corporate strategies to cope with the regional economic integration by 2015, focus on the greatly increasing future demand of distribution center and warehouses facilities in Thailand. The Chief Executive Officer of CMO (Creative Management Organization), Sermkhun Kunawong revealed that convention and exhibition industries will be enormously benefit from the establish of AEC because the convention and exhibition industries in Thailand are occupied leading level among ASEAN countries. CMO planned to gain further insight into related convention and exhibition industries regulation of other countries in Asian in order to seek business opportunities and establish close contact with logistic industries in Asian countries. Chairman of the board of DRT (Diamond Roofing Tiles Public Company Limited), Prakit Prathipasen mentioned that his company always maintains their products export to Vietnam and Cambodia, but they will expand their export markets to Malaysia and Indonesia from now on, they planned to set up a warehousing distribution center at Changwat Surat Thani, Thailand to aiming at above markets. The presidents of MFEC (MFEC Public Company Limited), Siriwat Vongjarukorn stated that Information and Technology industries will benefit from establish of AEC. The implementation of open and liberal investment policies and actively encourage inward investment will extremely intensify markets competitive in ASEAN. Company must pay close attention in adjusting corporate strategies, increasing competitive advantages and implement performance evaluation on a more concrete form, herein attract the investment that is in favor of the Information and Technology industries. His company has long been prepared for the establishment of AEC through service integration with various companies to increase competitive advantages and the advantage of fully satisfies known customers’ demand. The new report above let us know about that how the leaders of companies in Thailand deal with the change. Four of them accept the inevitability of change and recognize changes as potential of sources of energy and self-renewal, they develop effective management skills that help organization move towards something better. They shared a common vision of  responsibilities and economy opportunities for their companies and countries, an idolized goal has been created by them to seize the opportunities for expand their markets and try to maximized their benefits from the establishment of AEC. That is every appearance that we can almost certain they possess Charismatic Leadership- they have a vision, they are willing to take personal risks to achieve that vision, they are sensitive to follower needs, and they exhibit behavior that are out of the ordinary. The Key characteristics of charismatic leadership that they possess are: 1. Vision and articulation- They has the clear visions that proposes a future better than the status quo and is able to clarify the importance of the vision in terms that are understandable to others. They planned and implementing the new corporate strategies to meet the establishment of AEC by 2015 and they has a good idea how the strategies can benefit their companies and countries. 2. Personal risk- They willing to take on high personal risk, incur high costs, and engage in self-sacrifice to achieve the vision. According to their narrations, their new corporate strategies involve high costs to build large infrastructure facilities within or outside their country for large scale productions, they has to take on the responsibilities and possibilities of failure at their own risk. 3. Sensitivity to follower needs- They are perceptive of others’ abilities and responsive to their needs and feelings. Due to their company involve in large scale capitals and productions, they must appoint some qualified person to important positions. 4. Unconventional behavior- They engage in behaviors that are perceived as novel and counter to norms. They being as successful leaders will never assumed that if they could just keep things running on a steady without changing and vision, their companies would be successful. AEC is an international collaboration project among ASEAN countries, good workers or followers will be an essential part if the companies endeavor to obtain benefits and advantages from the project. Followers of charismatic leaders have higher task performance, task performance, and adjustment to the leader and to the group than did followers who worked under groups led by noncharismatic leaders. There are four-step process shows that how do  charismatic leaders influence followers. 1. Articulate a vision- It begins by the leader articulating an appealing vision. A vision is a long-term strategy for how to attain a goal or goals. The vision provides a sense of continuity for followers by linking the present with a better future for the organization. The leaders share their vision with followers about the steps to attain goals in future through AEC by 2015. 2. Create a vision statement- A vision is incomplete unless it has an accompanying vision statement. A vision statement is a formal articulation of an organization’s vision or mission. Charismatic leader may use vision statement to â€Å"imprint† on followers an overarching goal and purpose. Once a vision and vision statement are established, the leader then communicates high performance expectations and expresses confidence that followers can attain them. This enhances follower self-esteem and self-confidence. Leaders create framework for all their strategic planning that will apply to entity companies to meet the goals. 3. Create a new set of values- The leader conveys a new set of values and through words and actions by his or her behavior, set an example to followers to imitate. Charismatic leaders were more effective because their employees personally identified with the leaders. Finally, the charismatic leader engages in emotion-inducing and often unconventional behavior to demonstrate courage and convictions about the vision. There is an emotional contagion in charismatic leadership whereby followers â€Å"catch† the emotions their leader is conveying. As I have mentioned at above, AEC is an international collaboration project among ASEAN countries, so leaders should create a new values that can apply to ASEAN countries instead of old values that are relate only with a country. 4. Demonstrate the vision- Because the vision is such a critical component of charismatic leadership, we should clarify exactly what we mean by the term, identify specific qualities of an effective vision, and offer some examples. Leaders implement the visions with their followers to achieve the goals. According to the other news report of Thailand newspaper World Journal, Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce held a round table meeting with regard to tourism recently, discussed the opportunities and development  in tourist industry after Thailand join AEC by 2015. The round table meeting invited the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, relevant departments and travel agencies to participate in discussion. Head of Foreign Trade Department indicate that the integration of ASEAN will mainly reflect the effect in investment and mobility of human resource after the establishment of AEC. By that time, Thailand will see further competitive in tourism markets from other ASEAN countries. Therefore, Thailand is critical to maintain and increase its own competitiveness to adapt to the markets and create great development progress. After the discussion in round table meeting, the methods were considered as effectiveness in increasing competitiveness of tourist industries of Thailand included: 1. Unify the standardization of tourism service, adopt international standard progressively to guild and measure. 2. Train employees with systematically, instill professional knowledge to them and also let them learn to master foreign language. 3. Formulate trade standard, avoid price war break out. 4. Establish good relationship with other ASEAN countries. 5. Create stricter law and legislation, crack down on illegal activities related to tourist industries. Moreover, the round table meeting believed that short term and long term plans should be formulate to guide travel agencies solve their problems in order to accelerated development and faces the competitive from ASIAN countries positively. We can address the foregoing changes of Ministry of Commerce, Thailand as an international and goal-oriented activity, we can also described the scenario as planned change. Essentially there are two goals in planned change. First, it seeks to improve the ability of the organization or industry to adapt to changes in its environment. Second, it seeks to change employee behavior. If an organization or industry is to survive, it must respond to changes in its environment. When competitors introduce new products or services, government agencies enact new laws, important sources of supplies go out of business,  or similar environmental changes take place, the organization or industry needs to adapt. Efforts to stimulate innovation, empower employees, and introduce work teams are examples of planned-change activities directed at responding to changes in the environment. Because an organization or industry’s success or failure is essentially due to the things that its employees do or fail to do, planned change also is concerned with changing the behavior of individuals and groups within the organization. In the above case, Ministry of commerce improves the competitiveness and abilities of tourist industries in Thailand and train employees to improve their qualities to face the changes brought by AEC, like the increase of competitors are fully consistent with planned change. Change agents are responsible for managing change activities, change agents can be managers or nonmanagers, current employees of an organization, newly hired employees, or outside consultants, but the Ministry of Commerce, travel agencies and employees of tourist industries are the change agents in this case. However, when people are confronted with change, resistance to change appears to be natural and positive state. One of the well-documented findings from studies of individual and organizational behavior is that organizations and their members resist change. One recent study showed that even when employees are shown data that they need to change, they latch onto whatever data they can find that suggests they are alright and don’t need to change. Our egos are fragile, and we often see change as threatening. In order to avoid continue walking in the old steps and seclude oneself, seven tactics have been suggested for use by change agents in dealing with resistance to change: 1. Education and Communication- Resistance can be reduced through communicating with employees to help them see the logic of a change. Communication can reduce resistance on two levels. First, it fights the effects of misinformation and poor communication. Second, communication can be helpful in â€Å"selling† the need for change. The changes are most effective if Minister of Commerce communicate its rationale balancing various participants’ interest versus a rationale based on minister or heads of  department’s interest only. 2. Participation- It’s difficult for individuals to resist a change decision in which they participated. Prior to making a change, those opposed can be brought into the decision process. Assuming that the participants have the expertise to make a meaningful contribution, their involvement can reduce resistance, obtain commitment, and increase the quality of the change decision. Therefore, Minister of Commerce should invite particip ations from various industries that are related to tourist industries to increase the success rate of changes. 3. Building Support and Commitment- Change agents can offer a range of supportive efforts to reduce resistance. When employees’ fear and anxiety are high, employee counseling and therapy, new-skills training, or a short paid leave or absence may facilitate adjustment. Research on middle managers has shown that when managers or employees have low emotional commitment to change, they favor the status quo and resist it. So firing up employees can also help them emotionally commit to the change rather than embrace the status quo. Minister of Commerce should fully support all of the participants by effort and money due to they are same sided and share same purposes to benefit their countries and industries. 4. Implementing Changes Fairly- Try as managers might to have employees see change positively, most workers tend to react negatively. Most people simply don’t like change. But one way organizations can minimize the negative impact of change, even when employees frame it a s a negative, is to makes sure the change is implemented fairly. Procedural fairness becomes especially important when employees perceive an outcome as negative, so when implementing changes, it’s crucial that organizations bend over backwards to make sure employees see the reason for the change, and perceive that the changes are being implemented consistently and fairly. Technical support and financial support allocate by Minister of Commerce to participants must be absolutely fair and free of discrimination or bias. 5. Manipulation and Cooptation- Manipulation refers to covert influence attempts. Twisting and distorting facts to make them appear more attractive, withholding undesirable information, and creating false rumors to get employees to accept a change are all examples of manipulation. Cooptation, on the other hand, is a form of both manipulation and participation. It seeks to â€Å"buy off† the leaders of a resistance group by giving them a key role in the  change decision. The leaders’ advice is sought, not to seek a better decision, but to get their endorsement. Ministry of Commerce can conceal the fact that will be against by participants in order to cooperative production. This method is not recommended to change agents unless there are left with no choice, because the tactics can backfire if the targets become aware they are being trick or used. 6. Selecting People Who Accept Change- Research suggests that the ability to easily accept and adapt to change is related to personality. It appears that people who adjust best to change are those who are open to experience, take a positive attitude toward change, are willing to take risks, and are flexible in their behavior. Ministry of Commerce should select participants who are positive self-concept and high risk tolerance because they are coped better with change. 7. Coercion- Coercion is the application of direct threats or force on the resisters. The examples of coercion are threats of transfer, loss of promotions, negative performance evaluations, and a poor letter of recommendation. This method can use to be directed against participants who are not follow instructions or rules that made by Ministry of Commerce. No discussion of resistance to change would be complete without a brief mention of the politics of change because change invariably threaten and the status quo, it inherently implies political activity. In the frame of ASEAN Economic Community, enterprises need to the notion of operation and management to get the best of the achievement of free flow system from essential productive factors. Companies should convert to from the operation strategies that confines only to domestic markets transnational operation though establish relationship with business partners in the area of ASEAN. The most important thing is to put the pressure on formulate a new business planning for strives to adapt the changes and committed to the new business opportunities. The establishment of AEC is expected to create bigger markets for products of Thailand, at the same time, companies of Thailand should examine themselves if they are brace to become a member of AEC while speed up with enhance comprehensive strength. Most of the ASEAN countries are not fully prepare to meet AEC, there are still some disadvantages in various directions for Thailand, especially the  political situation of Thailand not showing any specific development route, some corporation are still lack of related knowledge result in not fully prepare of relevant plans. For this purpose, Thailand should make full use of advantages and rational utilization of resources to increase competitiveness to differentiates their superiority with other ASEAN countries for the in coming of establishment of AEC by 2015. References Aseansec.org (2007) ASEANWEB – ASEAN Economic Community. [online] Available at: http://www.aseansec.org/18757.htm [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012]. Chinaasean.org (2005) Ministry of Commerce of Thailand Appeal Tourist Industries to Increase Competitiveness. [online] Available at: http://www.chinaasean.org/html/report/1259802-1.htm [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012]. En.wikipedia.org (1967) Association of Southeast Asian Nations – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN#From_CEPT_to_AEC [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012]. ROBBINS, S. and JUDGE, T. (2010) Organizational Behavior. 13th ed. Prentice Hall, p.447-450,654-659. News.sina.com.tw (1996) Thailand Listed Company Adjust Strategies to Meet AEC [online] Available at: http://news.sina.com.tw/article/20120626/7156145.html [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012].

Home Depot Essay

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

Dickens ‘Great Expectations’ Essay

Pip’s account of the events that took place after visiting Miss Havisham My Uncle Pumblechook took me to the home of Miss Havisham. The initial image I had was of a dismal house made from old brick with the windows either bricked up or barred and with a disused brewery at the side of the property. Obviously once a luxurious house it was now beginning to crumble and decay. A very beautiful young girl called Estella met me. Although only my age she seemed to delight in calling me ‘boy’. She told me the Manor house also had the name ‘Satis House’ which in Greek, Latin or Hebrew means ‘Enough house’ and she claimed that whoever had this house would want for nothing, I found this a curious fact. I went in through the side door as the great entrance had two bars across it. I followed Estella who was holding a single candle along dark passages, where all daylight was excluded. Once Estella and I arrived at a door, she left me in pitch black telling me scornfully she didn’t want to go in. I was nervous and apprehensive, however given no other choice I knocked at the door. Once told to enter I found myself in a large dark room in which initially my eyes focused on a draped dressing table festooned with many objects. On further observations I spotted an armchair, sitting in which, I saw the strangest lady I had ever seen before and knew I ever would again. Dressed all in white the bridal dress she wore must have once been worn by a young woman, however now it was seen on an old women whose shrunken body was mere skin and bones. All I could conjure up was the comparison of Miss Havisham to a waxwork skeleton, now in ‘the ashes of a rich dress’. The bridal dresses luxurious ‘fabrics’ of satin, lace and silk were now yellow, faded and paper-thin, and added to this the flowers in her hair and veil gave me the uncomfortable feeling that the women was now dressed in her grave clothes. When Miss Havisham’s dark eyes turned to look at me I felt utter alarm and wanted to shout, but nothing came out. With my eyes still intently taking in the untidy room, with clothes and personal effects scattered around and with one shoe on her foot and the other on the table, I gave Miss Havisham my name and told her I had come to play. As I was told to come nearer I noted that both her watch and room clock had stopped at twenty minutes to nine, I wondered why this would be? Although afraid of her I felt the necessity to lie when she asked if I was afraid of her, the fact she hadn’t seen daylight since before I was born only accentuated my trepidation of her. As she touched her heart it reminded me of the young man and when she told me it was broken I saw her face fill with a weird boastful smile. I had come to play, to entertain Miss Havisham, but I didn’t know what to do, she thought that I was being very sullen and obstinate, however I told her that I was sorry for her and was finding everything new, strange and melancholy. I had to call Estella as Miss Havisham told us to play cards together. As I could only play ‘Beggar my Neighbour’ Estella’s’ contempt of me seemed to grow, I was merely a ‘labouring boy’ and one that called a ‘knave’ a ‘Jack’. Why did she think so little of me and make me feel conscience for the first time of my coarse hands and common boots? Miss Havisham appeared to watch us in a transfixed expression, like that of a corpse, as though her whole body and soul had dropped and mere daylight would turn her to dust. I had to whisper to Miss Havisham what I thought of Estella and realised that although she was very pretty I also found her very proud and insulting, although deep down I realised I would like to see her again. I did hear Miss Havisham earlier telling Estella she could break my heart if she desired, I wonder what she meant by this? I had a great wish to go home, but on Miss Havisham’s request I have agreed to return in six days. Being without natural light, I almost thought it must be dark outside so I was hit by the daylight when re-entering the courtyard. On orders from Miss Havisham, Estella brought me some food, however the look she gave me was one that I felt such humiliation and hurt that tears sprang to my eyes. Realising I was morally sensitive and timid seemed to bring pleasure to Estella and she enjoyed treating me as though I was a disgraced dog. Feeling better from the food I was again aware of the whole oppressive wilderness, a crooked pigeon house, with no pigeons, no animals, just a total emptiness. In the brewery building I saw Estella above in the gallery and hanging a figure of the old women in her faded white apparel, when I turned to look again enormous fear hit me, it had vanished! Desperate to go Estella unlocked the door for me, she appeared so superior to me and seeing me cry seemed to fuel her need to taunt me even more. I just felt my self-esteem was at an all time low, I obviously have despicable habits and I’m more ignorant than I had ever realised.

Socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Socialization - Essay Example Symbolic meanings in symbolic interactionism refer to the way social interactions are interpreted within a given context. Roles are defined by each relationship within the context of the participants in that relationship. Therefore, the role of husband or wife may not necessarily be literally gender oriented as much as role specific. In this, way, relationships need not conform to traditional constructs; therefore there is no need for the traditional approach to marriage to ensure its success. A healthy marriage is dependent upon the extension of â€Å"me† in the role of â€Å"I†. In order for a person to make a healthy choice for marriage, four important concepts must be well defined within the individual: 1) the concept of knowing the self well, â€Å"me† - who I am, 2) the concept of what â€Å"me† means to the world around me, how â€Å"I† perform my roles, 3) knowing what I have to offer of myself to another individual, â€Å"I†, and 4) what I need to receive from another individual with regards to their performance of â€Å"me†, in order to feel accepted, connected, and valued in that relationship. ... This is the first step in preparation for choosing a marriage partner. Our socialization through the life cycle offers abundant feedback regarding who others perceive us to be. If we agree with that perception, then we continue in those roles; if we don’t agree, then we begin to investigate ways to change that might influence other’s perception of us. This kind of fine tuning takes on a heightened awareness as we move toward adulthood. Young people try on many roles before finding what’s comfortable for them. When we have arrived at a comfort level in whom we are as perceived by the world around us, then our roles are more established; from this springboard, we begin to search for fulfillment. The next step is in looking around to find another person with whom we can begin to relate on a close and personal level. The satisfaction of this basic need is not necessarily equally important for all individuals; however most find it a driving force in adulthood. Sociali zation in adulthood is largely defined by the interactions between associates in the workplace, peers, and significant others, comprising our continued growth and development along the human journey. The roles we assume in each area give us a chance to further define who â€Å"me† is. When â€Å"I† perform the role of â€Å"me†, then I am either attracted to or repelled by others. Often in relationships there is conflict between who â€Å"me† is because â€Å"I† am acting in a role where there is role strain and a sense of discomfort. Such conflicts usually surface in a negative way to also strain the relationships. It is only through careful communication and acceptance of that role by the significant other that the relationship can be saved while the relationship is in

Weekly questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Weekly questions - Assignment Example Apparently, US companies are tending towards outsourcing their customer service functions to companies that hire staff capable of communicating fluently in Spanish or English. While majority of international US companies have staff that is multi-lingual, most of them would still prefer to hire companies that possess a similar cultural affinity (Cromie & Zott, 2014). Therefore, they will tend to be more likely to outsource functions to locations that share a similar culture, thus preferring near-shoring. Although American companies have benefited immensely from offshore outsourcing in the past, the increasing investments in customer service has made them aware of the costs of miscommunication on their overall business. The US, as of 2013, had several trade sanctions and embargoes against several countries, including imposing embargoes on arms-related exports, financial restrictions, economic assistance restrictions, and dual-use exports controls. The embargo against Cuba is one example, which involves financial, economic, and commercial restrictions first imposed in 1960 and further extended in 1962 to cover almost all forms of imports (Coy, 2012). An arms-trade embargo has been in force since 1958 when Cuban rebels headed by Fidel Castro seized American properties and nationalized them. In addition, further actions to nationalize all privately-owned companies led to an embargo on all Cuban brown sugar imports. The US government responded to Castro’s Cold War alignment with the USSR by widening the scope of trade embargo restrictions, especially after Cuba hosted USSR missiles on their territory (Coy, 2012). This resulted in freezing of Cuban assets in the US and consolidation of all existing restrictions. Finally, in the wake of the shooting of unarmed US planes that killed four US citizens in 1992, the Helms-Burton Act restricted trafficking of property confiscated by the Cuban government

Primacy of EU Law over National Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Primacy of EU Law over National Law - Essay Example Regulations are laws with general application, such that member states are under no strict liability to adopt them into national law. In the case of directives, that obligation is unconditional on the part of member states, although they can choose the form and methods by which to implement an EC directive 2. These provisos in the new EU Constitution are highlighted by this paper in its discussion of how to bring law and order to European countries if the EU law relevant to a particular case contravenes the national law of a member state; if an EC regulation favors one national group over another; or if an EC law that could bolster a local case has no equivalent version in the member state that is hearing the case. In so doing, the paper presents two make-believe cases involving consumer welfare promotion and environmental protection, two areas of concern high on the agenda of the new Constitution as embodied in Article II-62 and Article II-97, respectively. Both areas need state legislation to give them real substance. In 2006, EC issued E... The directive imposes criminal liability on anyone who keeps toxic chemicals in his property without sufficient safeguards to prevent leakage. If the stored chemicals, which were specified in the EC directive, escape into the atmosphere and cause harm to people, the offense carries a maximum fine of 150,000 euros or its equivalent. In UK, authorities believed there was no need to enact a new law based on the EC directive because there is a similar environmental law already in place. In March 2007, or one year after UK member states were supposed to have introduced the EC directive into their own legal systems, a man named Simon fell ill after eating vegetable grown in his garden, which is adjacent to a warehouse of Otis Chemicals Ltd. that stored the chemicals identified in the EC directive.QUESTION 1: If you're a lawyer representing Otis Chemicals, do you think Simon can sue your company in UK under the EC environmental directive based on the direct effect principle Can UK authorities also prosecute Otis under the same EC directiveANSWER: Assuming that the chemical substance in question is among those identified in the EC environmental directive, Simon can invoke the same EU law in bringing a case against Otis Chemicals before UK courts. This he can do whether or not UK has adopted the provisions of the said EC law into a national law. Under the Community Method principle of the new EU Constitution, any law enacted by the Community automatically becomes an integral part of the law of a member state, whose courts are

Strategic analysis of IBM from 2000 to 2005 Essay

Strategic analysis of IBM from 2000 to 2005 - Essay Example 133). The company has recently adopted an integrated supply, manufacturing and distribution operation into one operating unit. In addition to its own manufacturing operations, the company uses a number of contract manufacturing (CM) companies to manufacture IBM-designed products. In their website, IBM stated that it spends nearly $2 billion a year with diverse suppliers, for example, greater than any other technology company. Yet more than managing their expenditures, IBM had emphasized a responsibility to hold themselves and their suppliers to high standards of behavior. This means complying with all applicable laws and regulations. They seem to support a strong commitment to work with suppliers to encourage sound practices and develop sound global markets. Despite their company's strong performance in the recent years, IBM is aware that it competes with several large players in the various industries it operates in. In the consulting and outsourcing industry, it faces stiff competition from Accenture and Capgemini. In the application infrastructure software business, IBM faces competition from BEA Systems, Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Microsoft. In software, IBM is second to Microsoft, the world's largest software company. ... This is useful, because it could assist people in understanding both the strength of an industry's current competitive position and the strength of a position the industry is looking to move into. In analyzing the IBM's competitive environment, Porter's Five Forces will delineate that there are five important forces that determine competitive power in a situation: Supplier Power, Buyer Power, Competitive Rivalry, Threat of Substitution and Threat of New Entry. Supplier Power In their website, IBM mentioned that it developed an IBM Global Procurement, which is part of the Integrated Supply Chain organization. This arm of the IBM acquires goods and services for IBM and its clients. This is done with flexibility to sense and react to changing market dynamics. With few exceptions, this organization is the only group authorized to commit IBM funds to external suppliers. Furthermore, IBM explained that their Procurement fulfills its mission by using Global Commodity Councils to strategically source goods and services through a network of international, regional and emerging suppliers for IBM's varied businesses. Procurement is conducted in an environment of pervasive e-procurement across all steps of the acquisition process - from initial market segment intelligence and strategic sourcing, to tactical order placement, invoicing and electronic payment. With enhanced supplier interaction, Procurement takes responsibility to maintain IBM's competitiveness by enga ging suppliers to provide competitive advantage in cost, technology, innovation, speed to market, quality, and supply assurance. This responsibility includes activities such as supplier selection, negotiation

Information Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Information Management - Case Study Example USS's major problems were evident in its order taking process. The orders were manual, imprecise and filled with errors; there was no coherence among the different processors as they had their own tracking and order system. There fore USS was unable to follow each order as it was processed and delivered. The communication system employed between the different processors was a dialup system meaning that data processing wasted a lot of time, invariably forcing the company to hold large inventory, increasing its production cost. All such problems made USS uncompetitive in face of other producers such as POSCO, which was recently setup with the latest technologies. To fix these problems USS took rapid steps to improve their production system. First of all, they provided their customers to place theirs order online specifying the product, quantity, price, composition, size, thickness, and even delivery date for their orders. The software was developed so as to allow the customer to be able to see the cost as well as the delivery dates of their order, to allow them to plan accordingly for their business. It also allowed for messages from different processors to be translated much more quickly and more efficiently. USS also connected DecisionExpress software from LiveCapital for customers which reduced its uncollectible debts. To further improve the accuracy of the order USS incorporated several other soft wares such as order fulfillment and later i2 Technologies. They also introduced soft wares such as iTrac to keep track of their shipments and Mechanical Item Generation System to regenerate orders for repeat customers. USS also setup a subsidia ry USS Engineers and Consultants, to sell these soft wares to assist other companies. To maintain its competitive advantage they only provide soft wares which are a version older than their current software (Bratislava, 2003). Results and Business benefits In 1996, when USS faced a disastrous situation of losing Ford Motor, USS identified that, in face of future competition computerization of the production system was a necessity. This direction allowed USS to be more efficient and more profitable. After the implementation of the software system USS required 3 work hours to produce a ton of steel, as compared to 4 hours in Germany and 4.8 hours in POSCO. Hence, USS was able to greatly benefit from strong economic conditions by supplying steel to United States, China and other countries (Michael Erman - 2007). Conclusion The progress of U.S. Steel depends on the world demand for their products i.e. steel. As witness from the world wide economic shock, demand for steel and other essential construction material has plummet. Widespread closer of factories has significantly halted further investments, resulting in drastic drops of steel prices. USS has invested great sum of financial capital in refining their production cycle but in current times it will be very difficult to gain

Why people hate HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why people hate HR - Essay Example In this paper, I will provide a critical and argumentative analysis of this article to try and understand the author’s viewpoint. As such, his reasons for hating human resource activities within organizations will be explained in an argumentative manner, choosing to either validate or invalidate them with reasons. First, the author argues that the human resource departments in almost all organizations seek to hire individuals with passive independent thinking ability. Such people cannot stand for what they believe in and work towards ensuring they work for their values and beliefs, instead seeking to acts as puppets of the organization. It is for this reason that business scholars believe that top students from top colleges chose other fields as opposed to human resource management (Boudreau & Ramstad 245). They view the field as less challenging, less demanding and often a times the mouthpiece of the organization. Such a position is reflected in other different scholarly articles in which professionals argue that human resource departments are mouthpiece of the executives and top management in an organization. They formulate, implement, evaluate and policies and their powers while being under the strict direction of the executive (McLean 26). Human resource fields do not seek to raise the status of employees and thus improve their lives. They instead seek to bring in very bright and able managers to the organization but with the primary aim of making, they raise the standard of the organization. For human resource executives, it is what is best for the organization that is implemented and executed. The decision to train a certain group of individuals within an organization may not be guided by the aim to improve their skills but to bring in the knowledge that the organizations seeks in order to either gain technical or business knowledge. I agree with Hammonds (3) in his assertion that human resource management department plays no role in the

Examine the role played by the GATT and the World Trade Organisation Essay

Examine the role played by the GATT and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in regulating international trade. What were the difficult issues it faced in the Doh - Essay Example The agreements are arrived at through a series of negotiating 'rounds', which are named after the location where the talks take place. The current round of talks are known as the Doha Round after Doha Qatar and include negotiations on goods, services, and intellectual property. In 1947, several nations came together in the post World War II environment to remove protectionist tariffs and foster international trade co-operation. GATT has never been recognised as an official international organisation and refers only to the body of agreements among its member nations. GATT's primary mechanism for regulating and stimulating international trade has been tariff reduction and elimination. "In the late forties, the average duty on industrial products imposed by developing countries was around 40 per cent ad valorem. As a result of the Uruguay Round and the previous Rounds, the average duty is as low as 3.9 per cent" (United Nations Conference 2003, p.45). While GATT experienced much success through the reduction of tariffs, many nations remained reluctant to enter into agreements that addressed other aspects of trade. The initial agreements were successful not only by freezing and reducing tariffs; they also discouraged the formation of preferential trade agreements. GATT was based on the concept of the "Unconditional Most Favored Nation" (MFN) status. This policy mandated that all members treat each other member with the same status as their most favoured trading partner. This gives equal access to all members and stimulates open trade. Some preferential agreements, based on geographical proximity, have been allowed under GATT. The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional trade bloc that grew out of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Though it promoted preferential regional trade, it was allowed under a waiver of GATT's no-new-preferences rule (Kenwood 1999, p.285). Lower tariffs and equal access to markets is the foundation of GATT. Though the preamble of the GATT states that its purpose is the "reduction of tariffs and other barriers to trade and to the elimination of discriminatory treatment in international commerce", the agreements spread into many other areas (University of British Columbia 1998). One of the main thrusts of GATT has been the elimination of quantitative restrictions. Quotas and import restrictions had placed a serious impediment to world trade in the years 1913-1950. Quotas were even more damaging to trade than tariffs because they set a strict limitation on trade. GATT addressed this issue by condemning quantitative trade restrictions except for extreme situations such as short-term balance of payment purposes and for the protection of 'infant' industries (Kenwood 1999, p.242). The reduction of tariffs and the elimination of quantitative restrictions were primarily responsible for the UK's global trade growth in the last half of the 20th century. In the period 1913-1950 the UK had a negligi ble export growth rate. Under GATT the growth rate had increased to 5% for the period 1990-1996 (Kenwood 1999, p.24). GATT has also addressed other issues that promote free trade and the fair treatment of its members. The Uruguay round, 1986-1994, was designed to meet the challenges of technology and communications. The talks were directly responsible for $740 billion in tariff cuts and it has been estimated that global trade would increase by $270 billion a year and that the world would be over $500 billion

Ethics and Placebo Trials Essay Example for Free

Ethics and Placebo Trials Essay Placebo trials are experimental trials that involve the administration of a substance that does not really have any effect on the individual’s system. This means that it is a neutral trial that will have neither positive nor negative effects on the physiology of the person it is administered on. Whatever positive benefits may be derived out of placebo trials are merely therapeutic and may arise from the potency of the power of suggestion. These trials are most often used in randomized control trials in investigating the effectiveness of a specific treatment. (Miller and Brody, 3) However, with the rise of the use of such trials, there have been many more questions raised. Are these placebo control trials indeed necessary? What ethical issues are raised with the implementation of placebo trials? The debates regarding the ethicality of placebo trials in investigative research continue to rage across the scientific community. The discussion has become so complex that the sides taken regarding the matter have evolved to more than just â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† to the question of placebo ethicality. There have been numerous aspects of placebo trials that have undergone the scrutiny of those directly involved with fields utilizing these trials. The main aim of this paper is to understand the obligations of medical practitioners who are employing placebo trials in their own scientific investigations of the effectiveness of various treatments. What ethical standards should these individuals, physicians and the like, take into consideration when conducting investigative researches with placebo trials? Glass and Waring The main problem with a physician’s utilization of placebo trials for investigative purposes is the fact that they are part of the profession that involves the assurance of optimal health for their patients. Some of the researchers and critics exploring the ethical holds on medical practitioners with regards to placebo trials have looked at it from a legal standpoint. Glass and Waring (582) indicate that they have foundâ€Å"no legal precedent allowing physicians to ‘opt out’ of their professional obligations because they are researchers in addition to being physicians†. It is emphasized that the physician must do all in his power in order to insure that the client receives all possible modes of treatment that would maintain or enhance his or her health. As a researcher, the physician is viewed as a fiduciary, a person delegated with power that will be used for the benefit of another person and who is held legally against the highest standards of conduct. The physician-researcher as a fiduciary, then, has a moral ascendancy over his or her patient-subject. (Glass and Waring, 578) This means that a placebo trial that would involve having the physician-researcher observe the null effect on the health of a patient-subject and at the same time have knowledge of the betterment of the health status of patient-subjects in the other experimental trials. (Glass and Waring 579) Thus physician’s are now ethically compromised and even legally liable for their utilization and continuation of the placebo trial. Knowing that there is a treatment that could improve the health of those in the placebo arm of the experiment but not applying that treatment on the participants in that arm indicates their sacrifice of the health of those participants for the scientific progress afforded by research data. The ethical responsibility of the physician-reseracher, therefore, is in the fact that clinical studies of treatment effectivity make use of participants who have been diagnosed with the specific medical condition hoped to be treated by the experiment’s procedure. Hawkins Hawkins (484) states that the true problem faced by physician-researchers is a moral one. The moral norms and societal dictates placed upon those in the medical profession involve the fact that they need to be able to give a sick person all the possible chances of being treated. However, Hawkins (484) points out that this moral responsibility is limited. She states clearly â€Å"researchers do not owe effective treatment to everyone around them. † (473) The obligations of a physician to his or her patient are enclosed within a given framework, that of the physician-patient relationship. In order for such a relationship to be established, the physician must come into agreement with the client that he or she will indeed act as one half of that relationship. The same agreement must be made on the part of the client. Although this agreement may not be explicit, it is nevertheless positively acknowledged by both parties. (Hawkins, 476) There is, according to Hawkins, no ethical dilemma in a physician-researcher’s use of placebo trials. Just because these researchers have had medical training and have taken a medical oath does not mean that they are always in the role of a physician. These are individuals that have many other different roles as fathers, mothers, non-practicing physicians, friends and the like. The role they take as a researcher, therefore, does not mean a continuation of their role as a physician. (Hawkins, 479) The obligations of an individual in the role of a researcher is separate from his or her role as a physician thus their obligation in placebo trials involves simple assurance that the participant will not be harmed by the procedure that will take place. Miller and Brody Some critics of placebo control trials state a weakness in therapeutic obligation of physician researchers as the main grounds of contestation of the ethical foundations of the said trials. Miller and Brody (8) state that even when based on the principles of clinical equipoise, an ethical basis of assigning participants in different experimental arms which involves disagreement among experts as to the effectiveness of either arm, therapeutic obligation is still a weak attack against the ethics of placebo trials. The individuals who knowingly participate in experiments with placebo arms are not exploited as long as no harm befalls them. Also, they are aware that they enter the experimental set-up as participants in a research and not as patients of the researchers who happen to also be physicians. (Miller and Brody, 5) Miller and Brody thus state that â€Å"placebo trials are not unethical just because they withhold proven effective treatment†. (6) It is thus seen that the responsibility and obligation of the researcher with regards to the ethicality of placebos is not in their therapeutic obligations as physicians. However, this does not mean that placebo trials are completely ethical. This also does not mean that researchers are devoid of ethical obligations to their participants assigned to placebo arms of the investigative experiments. The ethical obligation of the researcher in placebo trials is the same as that of researcher in any clinical trials. This involves the proper acquisition of informed consent from the participants. Also, researchers must be able to assure the fact that participants will not be exploited or put in harmful situations. Miller and Brody also insist that researchers must first establish that the investigation has scientific merit and that scientific merit is increased with the implementation of the placebo trial. (8) Analysis and Argument All three articles assessed above have merit and, at the same time, also have faults. Glass and Waring (582) stating that no legal precedents were found that indicated physicians were no longer tied to their professional obligations is faulty. In much the same way that a lawyer does not have to give counsel to every jaywalker he or she sees, the physician likewise does not have professional obligation over individual’s whose relationship to him is simply that which exists between researchers and participants. I also disagree with Hawkins’ statement that morality is what binds the physician thus the use of placebo trials is not unethical. What is ethics but a concept in the realm of morality? Yes, there are standards and regulations with regards to ethical conduct. However, as a whole, ethics is based on morality thus a moral problem is, in fact, an ethical problem. The middle ground taken by Miller and Brody also seems to be misled. A placebo trial is not equivalent to other clinical trials. It involves factors that are not present in other trials, such as the exposure of the participants to neutral treatment. In other clinical trials, there is still exposure to some form of treatment thus there is an effort to aid the participant. I believe, however, that physician-researcher’s obligations to the patient-participant, is limited solely to the relationship of researcher and participant. The role taken by the individual is not that of a physician but that of a researcher. The participants are also aware that they enter into the experiment not as patients but as participants. Although they are not given the chance to undergo possibly effective treatment, it is not the moral obligation of the researcher to insure that they do. Even if, for example, a person persists to smoke, I am not morally or ethically obligated to make sure that he or she stop. Placebo trials are valid research designs and should not be stopped simply because of a feeling that it is unfair to those who, in the first place, willingly submitted themselves to the experiment’s conditions. Works Cited Glass, Kathleen G. , and Waring, Duff. â€Å"The Physician/Investigator’s Obligation to Patients Participating in Research: The Case of Placebo Controlled Trials. † The Journal of Law, Medicine Ethics 33 (2005): 575-585 Hawkins, Jennifer S. â€Å"Justice and Placebo Controls. † Social Theory and Practice 32 (2006): 467- 496. Miller, Franklin G. , and Brody, Howard. â€Å"What Makes Placebo-controlled Trials Unethical? † The American Journal of Bioethics 2(2002): 3-9

Critisism on Curleys Wife Essay Example for Free

Critisism on Curleys Wife Essay For Of Mice and Men is a Tragedy, a tragedy not in the narrow modern sense of a mere sad story (though it certainly is that), but a tragedy in the classic Aristotelian/Shakespearean sense of showing humanitys achievement of greatness through and in spite of defeat. Some people seem to believe that the function of literature is to provide vicarious happy endings, to provide in words a sugary sweetness we would like to have but cannot always get in real life. To such people, true literary tragedy is distasteful. But the greatest writers and the best readers know that literature is not always only mere sugar candy; it can sometimes be a strong medicine: sour perhaps — at least to the untrained taste — but necessary for continued health[.] Some readers may object to the books presentation of low class characters, vulgar language, scenes suggestive of improper sexual conduct, and an implied criticism of the social system. But none of this is presented indecently, or beyond the ordinary norms of contemporary literature. Compared to many modern works, (or to movies and TV) this book is tame indeed. Furthermore, these features are necessary in this book in two ways. First, they are part of the accurate precise reporting of the reality of a particular time and place and environment. Part of Steinbecks literary point is that this is true to life. As such, the dirty details are part of Steinbecks enlargement of the realm of Tragedy, the democratization of the tragic world. Traditionally, the subjects of Tragedies have been Kings and other Great Ones: Job, Oedipus, Lear. But Steinbecks point — a truly American point — is that all men are created equal: Tragedy exists even among the lowly of the earth; even the least of us — even a Lennie or a George — has the human potential for tragic nobility. Of Mice and Men is a tragedy in the modern tradition of The Hairy Ape and Death of a Salesman. Second, the grossness is a way of presenting briefly the complex turmoil of life. This book is not stereotype melodrama. It is not a simpleminded book. There are no purely bad people in it. Conversely, there are no purely good people in it either. All the characters are complex mixtures of good and bad, or rather of bad results from good intentions. They are all — in their ability and in their outlook — limited. And they live in a gross and dirty world. Given their position in that world, they are not able to achieve much. But they are trying to do the best they can; they are trying to be good people and to have good lives. They have good intentions. They have noble aims. The tragedy is that, limited as the characters are, the world they live in is even more limited; it is a world in which the simplest dream of the simplest man — poor dumb big Lennie — cannot come true. The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft a-glae [go oft a-stray], wrote Robert Burns in the poem which provides the books title and its theme. And Steinbecks story shows why: The best laid plans go oft astray because they come in confl ict with one another. The simplest good intention — simply to stay alive — of a simple mouse, a simple pup, a simple young woman, is thwarted by Lennies urge to pet something soft and beautiful. Lennies drive to touch beauty kills the things he loves. But his problem is the same problem that bothers Curley, the Bosss son, the closest thing to a villain in the book. Like Lennie, Curley doesnt know how to hold on to what he finds important: his young wife, his status as the Bosss son, his reputation as a man. He loses each by trying to hold on too tightly. Curleys aim to be a respected husband/boss/man is foiled by his own limited abilities. The similar but simpler aim of Lennie and George to have a small place of their own where they can live offa the fatta the lan is doomed to frustration also by their own limitations and the tragic chain of circumstance and coincidence that ends with Lennie dead by Georges hand. The point, of course, is that they all — we all — live in a too limited world, a world in which not all our dreams can come true, a world in which we — all of us some of the time and some of us all the time — are doomed to disappointment. The tragic dilemma is that for our basic humanity, for the goodness of our aims, we all deserve better than we get. But because of our human limitations, by our weaknesses of character, none of us is ever good enough to earn what we deserve. Some philosophers, seeing this dilemma, pronounce profound pessimism for humanity. Some religions promise for this worlds disappointments supernatural intercession and other-worldly compensations. The tragic viewpoint (the view of Shakespeare, the Greek tragedians, the Old Testament Job, and John Steinbeck) finds in it the chance for nobility of soul: even in the blackest of disappointments, a human can achieve individual greatness. One may be defeated physically — but one need not be crushed spiritually. One can remain true to ones dream and true to ones friend. We humans may die, but we can love one another. Friendship. Love. That too is what Of Mice and Men is all about. Lennie and George, disparate types, are, against all good reason, friends. They share a good dream. They love one another. They are too limited, too inarticulate, to know how to say it, but they do show it — or rather Steinbeck shows it to us readers. So the book treats the great themes of Dreams and Death and Love with simple powerful clarity. It does so with a classically elegant structure — another reason for using the book as a teaching tool: it allows a reader — especially an untrained or beginning reader of literature — to see (or be shown) how structure supports and presents content. Of Mice and Men has the classic situation/complication/twist/and/resolution plot structure uncluttered by diversions, distractions, or subplots. There is inevitableness, a starkness that makes the poi nt of the story unavoidable. The story has the classic unities of time and place and action. It begins in a small spot of beautiful nature, a secluded camp in the woods by a stream; it moves to the buildings of a California ranch, and ends back in the woods by the stream. The style is simple: clear, direct sentences of description and action, direct quotation of the speech of simple people. Few long words, no hard words. The action is simple: two poor and vagrant workers, big, dumb Lennie and small, clever George, take jobs at a large ranch. Lennie has trouble with the Bosss son, Curley. Lennie accidentally — more or less — kills Curleys wife. George kills Lennie to save him from the horrors of a lynch mob led by Curley, bent on revenge. The settings are simple in detail, and simply powerfully symbolic. The secluded spot in the woods by the stream is the uncomplicated world of Nature; the bunkhouse is the bleak home of hired working men trying to make sense of their lives and gain comfort in a limited environment; the barn is the place of working life, of seed and harvest, birth and death; the harness room with Crooks bunk symbolizes social constraints; the little place of our own about which George and Lennie dream and all too vaguely plan is the Paradise on earth we all hope for. The characters, too, are simple yet significant. Begin with an individual, and before you know it you find you have created a type, wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald; begin with a type, and you find that you have created — nothing. Steinbeck begins with individuals: clearly and sharply crafted characters, a whole set of individuals who are so clearly realized that each — without surrendering individuality — becomes a type, an archetype, a universal character: There is Candy, the old, one-arme d worker with no place to go, as useless as his toothless dog; there is Carlson, gruffly and deliberately unfeeling, who can coolly kill old Candys ancient dog simply because he stinks and he aint no good to you; and there is Crooks, the dignified proud and aloof but helpless and lonely victim of racial discrimination. There is Slim, calm, reasonable, compassionate, the real leader of men. And there is Curley, the arrogant but inept Bosss son. The man who could lead well does not have the position; the one who has the position and the authority is not a true leader. Curley hides his insecurities behind a mask of macho toughness. His competitive bravado makes him push too far and Lennie, after enduring much, is given permission by George to get him. Lennie in self-protection crushes Curleys fist in his own big hand, crippling Curley somewhat as Candy and Crooks have been crippled by the punitive harshness of life. Curley is also the one man who has a woman. But clearly he does not — does not know how to — relate to her as a person. She is to him a thing, a possession, a sex-object and a status symbol. For the men, in braggadocio, he flaunts the sexuality of the relationship; and yet, out of his own self-doubts he is intensely jealous of the mens awareness of her. The young woman has no name — she is merely Curleys wife. She knows she wants — and somehow deserves — something better than this. I dont like Curley, she says of her husband. She has grandiose ambitions of being a Hollywood star in the pitchers. She is a lost little girl in a world of men whose knowledge of women is largely limited to memories of kind old ladies and rumors of casual prostitution. All these men are afraid of Curleys wife, afraid and aware that her innocent animal appeal may lead them into temptation and trouble. In self-protection they avoid her. Only Lennie, in naive goodness, actually relates to her as a person to a person. She talks to him. For a little time they share in their aesthetic sense; they both admire beauty. Unfortunately, she is too naive, and Lennie is too strong and c lumsy. In trying — at her invitation — to pet her lovely hair he is panicked by her quick resistance, and ends by killing her. Just as he had earlier killed a puppy and a mouse. Curleys wife, a naive Romantic, wants love and tenderness in a harsh crude Naturalistic world; Lennie, big and ignorant, tries to give love. But he is too weak in the mind, too strong in the body. His tenderness is too powerful for weaker, unsuspecting creatures. We readers can identify with Lennie. We sympathize; we empathize. We care. We have — most of us — been in his position; not quite able to cope with the complexities of the world around us, wanting only security, peace, comfort, and something soft and beautiful to pet and love. Perhaps one reason that this book has evoked controversy and censorious action is that it is so simple and clear and easy to understand — and so painful! It hurts to read this book. And some people dont like their books to hurt them; they want soothi ng. But great Tragedy is meant to hurt. One neednt subscribe wholly to the Aristotelian doctrine of catharsis by Art to see that one function of literature is to help us deal with the pain of real life by practicing with the vicarious pains of tragic art. Of course Of Mice and Men contains unpleasant attitudes; there is brutality, racism, sexism, economic exploitation. But the book does not advocate them; rather it shows that these too-narrow conceptions of human life are part of the cause of human tragedy. They are forces which frustrate human aspiration. Lennie and George have a noble dream. They are personally too limited to make it come true, but they do try. They try to help each other, and they even enlarge their dream to include old one-handed Candy and crippled black Crooks. Theirs is the American Dream: that there is somehow, somewhere, sometime, the possibility that we can make our Paradise on earth, that we can have our own self-sufficient little place where we can live off the fat of the land as peaceful friends. What is sad, what is tragic, what is horrible, is that the Dream may not come true because we are — each and all of us — too limited, too selfish, too much in conflict with one another. Maybe ever-body in the whole damn world is scared of each other, says Slim. And George expresses the effects of loneliness, Guys that go around alone dont have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin to fight all the time. What is ennobling in this tragedy of mice and men is the Revelation of a way beyond that loneliness and meanness and fighting, a way to rise above our human limitations: Two men — Lennie and George — who have nothing else, do have each other. We kinda look after each other. says George. And they do have their Dream. And the Dream is there even in the final defeat. For in the end the one thing George can do for Lennie is to make sure hes happy as he dies. He has Lennie look acrost the river you can almost see [the place]. And as Lennie says, Lets get that place now, George kills him mercifully. Its a horrible thing to do, and George knows that. And we know that. But in this limited world in this limited way it is all that George can do for his friend. And he does it. That is the horror and the nobility which together make up Tragedy. The Tragic pattern closes. There is a sense of completeness, of both defeat and satisfaction. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck has shown us something about the pain of living in a complex human world and created something beautiful from it. In true great literature the pain of Life is transmuted into the beauty of Art. The book is worth reading for a glimpse of that beauty — and worth teaching as a way to show others how such beauty works.

Global Terrorism Index (GTI) Summary and Analysis

Global Terrorism Index (GTI) Summary and Analysis Global Terrorism The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) defines terrorism as â€Å"the threatened or actual use of illegal force and violence by a non-state actor to attain a political, economic, religious, or social goal through fear, coercion, or intimidation.† Countries are ranked on a scale out 10 based on their risk and impact of terrorism. The top five countries for the highest impact of terrorism is Iraq with a GTI score of 10/10, Afghanistan with a GTI score of 9.39/10, Pakistan with a GTI score of 9.37/10, Nigeria with a score of 8.58/10 and Syria with a GTI score of 8.12/10. Although, there are several factors that have contributed to the global pattern, three main factors include; country development, relgious idealogy and their expansion tendancies, and politcal uppheaveal. These factors have caused significant social and economic impacts for countries and their population. The map above shows the risks of terrorism globally, with red representing a severe risk graduating down to green representing a negligible risk of terrorism. As can be observed, there is a concentration of countries in Africa and areas of the Middle East such as Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, and Nigeria, which are all, developing nations or less economically developed countries (LEDC). Seventy percent of the countries in South America have a medium or high risk of terrorism. However, the global pattern of countries suffering from a medium or high risk of terrorism is scattered around the globe and includes such other countries as Brazil, Ethiopia, Iran, and even Russia. With the exceptions of some countries such as Ghana, there are clusters countries that share a common risk rating implying that neighboring countries influence each other such as the cluster in Europe, South America and Africa, where the countries within the clusters share a common risk rating. The southern hemisphere does not seem to demonstrate any particular pattern, countries with a low or a negligible risk of terrorism is randomly scattered with developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand having a negligible risk of terrorism and developing countries such as Zambia and Uruguay also having a negligible or low risk of terrorism. However, the holistic, global pattern of countries with a negligible or low risk of terrorist attacks is scattered between more economically developed countries (MEDC’S) with a cluster in Europe. Factor 1: One of the main factors that have influenced the global pattern of terrorism is country development. The global pattern of countries that have low risks and negligible risks of terrorism is in MEDC’s. This is because MEDC’s usually have a stable political system, low levels of corruption, and a high HDI (The Human Development Index) score that is a holistic indicator to give an insight on how developed a country is. For example, Norway has the highest HDI ranking with a score of 0.944; alternatively, Niger has a HDI score of only 0.337 meaning that it has the lowest level of human development in the world coupled with a severe risk of terrorism, thus showing that there appears to be a strong correlation between the level of development of a country and the risks of terrorism it faces. This is because LEDC’s suffer from lack of judicial resources and capital to be able to control violence and are more susceptible to corruption, which leads an unstable governmental system. Therefore, the higher the HDI rating the increased probability of terrorist attacks occurring in that particular country. The pie chart to the left clearly exhibits that where there is a lack of judicial control present in provides greater opportunity for terrorist organizations to carry out their activities. Syria is an example as the nation is experiencing internal and external conflict and as a consequence, terrorist attacks are more likely to occur. It is therefore seen that there seems to be a strong correlation between the pattern of global terrorism and country development, LEDC’s tending to have higher risks of terrorism. Factor 2 Another compelling factor of developing the pattern of global terrorism is extremist religious ideologies, where particular fanatics believe that they have doctrine authority to unilaterally impose their ideology on others. Demonstrating the contagious expansion of these terrorist groups into neighboring clustered nations. Extremist groups have expanded their organizations by utilizing modern day technologies such as social media and terrorist forums as a platform to advocate their beliefs and expand their territory. For example, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) uses the Internet not only to spread its radical beliefs but also to recruit empower and motivate recruits from within their own homes to join their cause. The use of the Internet is a modern phenomenon used to recruit impressionable and naive youth from the west to join their campaign and to commit acts of terror in their homeland. So far, there is an estimated 12000 westerners have left their lives to expand terro r groups such as ISIS in Iraq and Syria. This affects the global pattern of terrorism because the areas in which these radical groups operate expands as they gain more power and therefore form clusters like the ones in Africa and in the middle east where terrorism crosses borders. The graph to the left (figure 12) clearly shows there are a higher proportion of religiously motivated terrorist incidents when compared to other factors over time. In 2000 the number of recorded religious incidents was 250 but in 2013 it dramatically increased to over 1500 incidents. In correlation, the graph also to the lefts (figure 12) shows the total number of terrorist incidents it is observed that as the number of global total incidents increases from 2000 so did the number of religiously motivated incidents, therefore, suggesting that the increased radicalized religious motives contributes to the increasing trend. Since the number of religiously driven attacks and the expansion of terrorist organizations has increased it indicates that the clustered countries (such as the cluster in the middle east) with a common risk rating implies that religious ideologies have caused this pattern due to porous borders. Factor 3: The last significant factor that has instigated the global pattern of terrorism is political upheavals, where governmental agendas are in conflict with groups within the society creating internal conflict. For example, in Nigeria the active extremist group Boko Haram aims to eradicate the irreligious Nigerian government to achieve radical Wahhabi interpretations of Sharia law in the country. The groups’ extreme Sunni Islamist ideology has resulted in the use of terror to enforce and proclaim their views by bombings and shootings on citizens and the government. This political upheaval due to differences in interpretations of how the government operates has caused conflict within the country and terrorist attacks on the population. Systematic political differences are what have caused the global pattern of because countries that do not have a stable and fair political system tend to be LEDC’s and suffer from high risks of terrorism, where alternatively MEDC’s like the cluster of countries in Europe which have a low or negligible risk of terrorism, tend to have a history of strong democracy and a stable government. The graph below (figure 13) shows the trends of terrorist ideologies. Political and nationalist separatist motives are more common in South America, Russia and Central America and the Caribbean. This explains the cluster of countries in South America which almost all countries have a medium or high risk of terrorism as the continent deals with corrupt governments and inequality between classes as lower socio-economic groups suffer from poverty and therefore extremist groups have formed as result. An example of this is the PCC, (Primeiro Comando da Capital ), an extremist group in South America who in May 2006 created chaos in Sao Paulo by destroying busses, construction and public buildings as well injuring civilians and police officers. This attack was driven by political and social agendas demanding improvement of Brazilian prison s. Significance Global terrorism is significant to people all over the world because of the economic and social consequences that comes as a result of it. The social impact of terrorism has mainly negative affects on people; however, there are some positive outcomes. The perception of terrorist groups depends on where the view originates. It has been said that one person’s terrorist group is another person’s ‘freedom fighter.’ Terrorism affects different people socially in different parts of the world, for example, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Chechnya; the Chechnya’n rebels are viewed as terrorists in Russia but in Chechnya they are viewed as freedom fighters. One recent example of a positive social effect of a terrorist attack is the act of bringing a community together was after ‘Sydney Siege’ in 2014. There was a campaign after the siege where people posted via Twitter with the hash tag â€Å"I’ll ride with you† offering to accompany Muslim women who were wearing the hijab on public transport to prevent harassment. Interestingly in the topic of uniting communities, terrorism has galvanized world leaders to combat collecting using combined resources to respond and aim to eradicate terrorism, for example the United nations brings developing and developed countries together to work in unity to try correct the global issue of terrorism. This creates positive long term affects for future generations as a global community is established where interdependence exists between nations. The hallmarks of terrorism are the taking of innocent lives. Approximately 150,000 people have died as a direct result of terrorist attacks over the past eight years, that is an average 43 people a day! These staggering numbers show how many families have been destroyed due to effect of radical, terrorist attacks. There are still 1,113 unidentified people from the September 11 attacks in the United States fourteen years ago; meani ng the attacks have a long-term effect for many families as they do not have closure of their loss. Another negative social affect is the mass generation of refugees. People flee out of their own countries to live in another safer country, for example, three million people have fled Syria and five million afghan refugees live in Iran as their country of origin high levels of terrorism conflict. The lasting effect has generation effects, language, financial, loss of careers health. The economic significance for people of as a result of terrorism affects every country having prolonged financial costs. Decreased tourism is a resultant effect as people do not want to travel with their families to what they perceive as risky and dangerous places so people will avoid travelling to countries with very high risks of terrorist attacks. Decrease in trade is also another cost because in the aftermath of an attack and increased prices of valuable commodities, for example, after there was an attack on 22 foreigners Saudi Arabia in 2004, the day after the incident crude oil prices rose by USD$2.50 as traders feared a US military strike in the middle east. Countries that suffer from high risks of terrorism have developing economies or unstable circumstances have drastically low investors. As security premium are higher the cost of economic involvement is high deterring foreign investors, potentially leading nations to bankruptcy. A further example of how terrorist attacks ha ve affected an economy is the aftermath of the September 11 where a range of estimates from USD$35 billion to USD$108 billion, of which the clean up cost alone of $1.3 billion; direct job losses amounted to 83,000 and further with $17 billion lost in wages in the proceeding months. One economic aspect can be noted as a positive effect of terrorism, which are the increased job opportunities in military. With escalated threats of terrorist attacks, development of the military increases thus generating more jobs for people. Also with the massive expenditure and development of military arms advancing a lot of economies especially the United States. Israel is an example of how prolonged low intensity terrorism has affected the Israeli people and the economy. Studies show that terrorism in Israel have caused a depression of economic development as in the volatile and unstable environment consumers have become cynical, corporations invest less decreasing supply and the government spends largely on defense and security measures instead of education and healthcare. Although there are some positive social and economic affects on people, the negative consequences exponentially outweigh the positives, long term impacts that terrorism has on people is catastrophic where the main consequence is loss of life which is an unfathomable tragedy that is experienced globally by all nations regardless if they are developing and developed countries.

Nonverbal Communication Essay -- Communication Language Communicating

Nonverbal Communication Any communication interaction involves two major components in terms of how people are perceived: verbal, or what words are spoken and nonverbal, the cues such as facial expressions, posture, verbal intonations, and other body gestures. Many people believe it is their words that convey the primary messages but it is really their nonverbal cues. The hypothesis for this research paper was: facial expressions directly impact how a person is perceived. A brief literature search confirmed this hypothesis. Every communication interaction involves two parts: the verbal and the nonverbal. Furthermore, every person is always communicating even when they are not saying a word, thus, it is possible to send an exclusively nonverbal message but it is not possible to send an exclusively verbal message. Nonverbal cues in the interaction are always more powerful indicators of what a speaker means and what the speaker feels. Consider a very simple example: a mother tells her two-year old to stop running around the house but as she makes her direction, she is smiling. The toddler gets two messages: verbally to stop running; nonverbally the smile means mom is pleased with what he is doing. Which direction will the child follow; probably, the second one - mom is pleased regardless of her words so he will continue doing what he was doing. These sorts of communication interpretation conflicts occur numerous times in every day. Here is another example from the poll questions. The manager has said she is available if you have a problem and need to talk with her. You make an appointment, go in, and within a few minutes she receives a phone call which she answers and spends five minutes talking with the caller. Are you likely to believe she is interested in what you are saying? No, in fact, you are likely to feel that you are not very important; you may feel embarrassed and try to make your excuses to just leave. Nonverbal cues involve everything but the spoken word which includes: body posture and facial expressions, gestures, eyebrows, eyes, tone of voice, speed of delivery, inflections, volume, and proximity. Even one's attire sends messages to others. Each area of the nonverbal has the power to send a message; combined they tell the listener what is meant and what is felt. The power of the nonverbal cannot be over-rated; it will almost always ... ...viduals are perceived according to their facial expressions more so than the words they speak is supported by the literature. Nonverbal cues of all kinds have a direct impact on how a person is perceived; facial expressions are extremely crucial in that impression. Bibliography Burgoon, J. K. Buller, D. B. and Woodall W. G. (1989). Nonverbal Communication: The Unspoken Dialogue. New York: Harper & Row. Cherney, Marcia and Tynan, Susan. (1989). Communicoding. NY: Dorset. Chevrier, Donna. (1994, July). Let's Face It. CMA Magazine, Vol. 68, pp. 26 - 27. Elgin, Suzette Haden. (1980). The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense. NY: Prentice-Hall. Hickson, M. I. and Stacks, D. W. (1989). Nonverbal Communication: Studies and Applications. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown, 1989. Jackson, Daryl. (1993). "The Nonverbal Cues." Communication Briefings, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 1-2. Knapp, M. L. (1992). Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. Leathers, Dale G. (1986). Successful Nonverbal Communication: Principles and Applications. NY: Macmillan Publishing Company. Nolen, William E. (1995, April). Reading people. Internal Auditor, Vol. 52, pp. 48 - 52.