What is the state of corporate governance in the UK, USA, EU, Literature review

What is the state of corporate governance in the UK, USA, EU, Australia, Japan and the GCC countries - Literature review Example It a discipline that focuses mainly on existing relationships between a company’s top management, its stockholders, boards, regulators, other stakeholders and auditors, and is a â€Å"system by which companies are directed and controlled† (Corporate Governance, nd., p.11). The system takes into account various market and regulatory structures, while also considering objectives for governing business firms. As OECD framed it, â€Å"Corporate governance involves a set of relationships between a company’s management, its board, its shareholders and other stakeholders. Corporate governance also provides the structure through which the objectives of the company are set, and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance are determined† (OECD, 2004, p. 11). ... pted for preventing or diminishing contentious issues arising mainly from conflicts of interests include institutions, customs, procedures, laws and policies, which affect the manner in which a business firm is regulated (Cadbury, 1992, p. 15). An important theory within corporate governance deals with the extent and nature of  liability  of those concerned in the running of the  business. Another related yet different theory within corporate governance deals with its effects on  economic efficacy that mainly focuses on the welfare of its shareholder (Haidar,  2009). In large corporations that have different management and ownership with no regulating shareholder, the  agent-principal issues  may crop up between top management (an agent) that may have varying interests and may possess more information than the firm’s shareholders which form the principals. The main problem in this field arises when the board of directors instead of managing on behalf of the compa ny shareholders become separated from the latter, while becoming to more loyal to the firm’s management (Bebchuk and  Jesse, 2006). This dimension is often present in many of the current public debates, and is taken into consideration while framing regulatory policies. Currently there has been a great deal of interest in studying theories and practices of corporate governance of contemporary business firms, especially in the context of liability, after the bankruptcy of many of the well-known MNCs during 2002 and again during 2007-09 economic crisis, which concerned primarily accounting fraud (Haidar,  2009). Various corporate scandals  at different times, over the past few years, have led to sustained interests from both political and public world in maintaining a control and regulation over corporate

Feminist and Post-Colonal Theory on a literary text Essay

Feminist and Post-Colonal Theory on a literary text - Essay Example This essay demonstrates that every culture had a way to resist the epic changes that were being imposed by the British Government. And in this story â€Å"Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies† (Rushdie). We see this resistance by the way the way men treat their women in Indian settings. Even though they are modernized they still practice their traditions like arranged marriages and the women also wear the veils except our main character Rehana and some other few women she points out.This essay demonstrates that every culture had a way to resist the epic changes that were being imposed by the British Government. And in this story â€Å"Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies† (Rushdie). We see this resistance by the way the way men treat their women in Indian settings. Even though they are modernized they still practice their traditions like arranged marriages and the women also wear the veils except our main character Rehana and some other few women she points out. In the story al ong a line is described outside the British consulate, this is symbolic of Euro-centrism that those people think that England is better to live in than India (Rushdie). Rehana surprises Muhammad Ali by turning down his offer of a free British visa. She also fails her exams on purpose, and when Ali asks her, she says, â€Å"there are some boys who need me† (Rushdie). Rehana symbolizes resistance to a new culture and thinking.   This paper makes a conclusion that the way the women are interrogated in the British consul symbolizes neo-colonialism (Forster).

How Culture Affects Identity

How Culture Affects Identity Culture can be defined as the increasing deposit of knowledge, material objects, values, religion, notions of time, attitudes, hierarchies, concepts of the universe, spatial relations, roles, and beliefs and possessions gained by a group of people in the path of generations through individual and group striving (Poyatos, 2002). Culture can also be termed as communication and the vise versa. This is because culture is a symbol of communication. Some of these symbols include knowledge, a groups skills, attitudes, motives and values. Culture can also be defined as the sum total of all the learned behaviors of a group that are commonly considered to be the tradition of a particular group of people and are conveyed from generation to generation. Identity can be defined as a set of personal or behavioral characteristics by which an individual can be associated with a certain group. Identity also refers to the state of an individual having some specific qualities which identify him with a p articular group of people or things. The combination of these two nouns (culture and identity) gives rise to cultural identity which refers to the sense of belongingness to a particular group or culture. From a personal view, culture refers to the way (aspects) of a persons life. These aspects of life include language which is one of the oldest medium of expression in the human institution, arts and sciences which are the forms of human expression most refined and advanced and thought which can be defined as the methodologies in which an individual perceives, interprets, and understands the world around him. There is also spirituality which is a value system passed through generations for the purpose of well being in human beings. It is expressed through actions, language and social activities which are perceived to be the shared pursuit within any particular cultural community. All cultures or social organizations have severe dimensions just like physical dimensions of length, height, width, time and height. The cultural dimensions may vary according to size, permeate the whole or by definition one cannot see a dimension of culture or society just the way we see an individual person however each person manifests each of the five dimensions of culture. Hofstede came up with five dimensions which are rated in 53 countries basing on indices of each dimension. These dimensions are namely power distance (hierarchy), femininity versus masculinity, collectivism versus individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and long term versus short term orientation (Hofstede, Pedersen Hofstede, 2002). (PD) Power distance refers to the extent to which less powerful members expects respects and accepts unequal power distribution within a particular culture. According to Hofstede, high PD countries tend to maintain centralized political power and display tall hierarchies in organizat ions with massive differences in salary and social status. Subordinates always perceive the manager as a benevolent dictator and they are therefore expected to follow the rules just as they are stipulated. The low PD countries perceive subordinates and supervisors as closer to being equal and easily interchangeable (Marcus Gould, 2000). They also have more flattened hierarchies in organizations and with less difference in salaries and social status. In these low PD countries, equality is generally desired and expected. As a citizen of United States my country has a current PDI of 40 in comparison to the worlds range of 55 (Marcus Gould, 2000). I support this low PDI because in my American culture there is better equality between the societal levels, government institutions, organizations and within families. My American cultural environment is stable and there is cooperative interaction in all power levels. I practice American culture and identity and its because of this that I can say my culture has sense of equality. For example teachers, students (children) and parents perceive each other as equals but not necessarily identical. The students and teachers relate well. Personally, I relate well with my lecturers and none of us feels like he/she has power over me as his student. In work places, people hold different position but regardless of this many perceive each other as brothers and it is therefore difficult to find some work related humanitarian crises. Individualism in culture refers to loo se ties. This mans that one is expected to look after himself, his immediate family and no one else. Collectivism on the other hand means that people are incorporated together by birth into cohesive, strong groups that act as protection in exchange for unquestionable loyalty. According to Hofspede, individualistic cultures value freedom, personal time and extrinsic motivators like material rewards at work (Marcus Gould, 2000). In these individualistic cultures, individual socio-economic interests are highly valued and strong rights of privacy are maintained. In general it advocates for the ideologies based on self-actualization, self government, self realization and freedom. On the other hand collectivist value skills, training, physical conditions and the intrinsic rewards based on mastery. In relations to family they value harmony, silence, use of shame in the achievement of behavioral goals and the strife to maintain face. The socio- economic interests are highly valued rather than individuals. According to the American culture which is also my cultural identity, we prefer situations whereby there is self sustenance. For example personally I like attending to my issues in my own way since thats what my parents have taught me. If I am in need, I believe I should consult my parents, brothers and sisters before going to the external world. I also try to realize my goals using my own version without interference. This tendency is very common in the American culture. This is well supported by the studies of Hofstede which show that in the year 2009 the United States had an IDV of 91 the highest dimension compared to the other countries (Marcus Gould, 2000). This means that the society has high individualistic attitude and relative loose bond with others. Therefore, the society is more self dependent and is concerned only for themselves and their close family members. Masculinity and femininity refers to the gender roles in a particular culture. Traditionally the masculine roles were based on assertiveness, toughness and competition while the feminine roles were based on tenderness, orientation to people, home and children. These traditional gender distinctions are almost breaking due to the collapse of feminine roles. The traditional masculine work goals included recognition, earnings, challenge and advancement. The traditional feminine work goals included good relations, employment security and good living and working conditions. As an American upholding the American culture, I have realized many women trends are changing since they are pursuing degrees and diplomas to get into white-color jobs unlike in the early days when females used to stay at home taking care of children. Many females have taken jobs such as engineering, medical and teaching jobs which used to belong to men. According to Hofstede, in the year 2009 the MAS for America was 68 meaning the country experiences a higher degree of gender differentiation roles (Marcus Gould, 2000). This means that the female population is more assertive and competitive just like men. Uncertainty avoidance dimension deals with the societys tolerance as it pertains to ambiguity and uncertainty. It depicts how members in a society have attempted to cope with the anxiety through the minimization of uncertainties. In the cultures of high uncertainty avoidance people always prefer formally designed activities and explicit rules. You will also find that most of the em ployees tend to retain their employers (Amanda.com 1). In low uncertainty avoidance cultures, people always prefer implicit rules and more informal activities. Again, employees cannot retain their employers. In my American culture rules are very flexible and it accommodates diverse ideologies. For example there are many religions unlike in other countries like Islamic where only one religion is tolerated. My American culture has few rules and it doesnt do much to control all outcomes and results. It also tolerates a variety of ideas believes and thoughts. The long term versus short term orientation refers to the societys time horizon. It also examines the importance of the future compared to the present and past. In my American culture I believe that I believe that I will meet my obligations and I also believe the American society will always meet its obligation no matter the hardships and inconveniences we will experience. Also, I appreciate my American tradition which is characterized by a lot of hard work in order to achieve something meaningful in life. Culture and identity positively influences the relationship between me and my parents because we rarely have any conflicts. This is because I know what my parents advocated for since my childhood (family traditions) and this makes it easier for us to interact without much issues arising. Culture and identity has had a negative impact between my family members and me because some cultural aspects are continually changing but they are not adapting to these changes. For example the American culture has shunned the traditional segregation that existed between the black and the white Americans but my parents do not always welcome the idea of the association between these too American ethnic groups. This means that I am not always allowed to bring visitors from a different ethnicity. Again my culture doesnt allow people to attend church without formal dressings. This has caused a negative impact on the relationship between me my parents and the church. Due to changing modes of dressing I find the cultural church dressing code not entertaining while at the other hand the church leaders are opposed to the new ways of dressing in the church. Our culture advocates for good mannerisms at school failure to which one is subjected to parental punishment. This has fostered a positi ve interpersonal relationship between my peer group, teachers and me. This is because I am aware of the rights and the wrong and therefore I try to avoid conflicts resulting from disobedience or arrogance towards my peers. My American cultural identity has also helped me in forming positive personal relations with the surrounding people and communities. This is because it advocates for brotherhood and I therefore try to be careful when socializing with people so as to avoid conflicts. Consequently, many people in the community find me as their friend who they can count on and therefore good interpersonal relations. Due to my cultural identity I have individually and collectively experienced many challenges in the American society. One challenge is that of persistent identities in form of biracial perceptions. This is because many people keep on asking me about my race because my bodily appearance doesnt suggest it. Ethnocentrism is the other challenge. This is because some of my college friends like the children from the very rich families in the community feel that they have superior ways of life (culture) than us from middle class families. They tend to perceive us as inferior, wrong in all aspects and strange. Another challenge I have faced due to my cultural identity is prejudice. This has been caused by the attitude of ethnocentrism. My fellow college mates from wealthy backgrounds tend to show intolerant and unfairly biased attitude towards me and other people of my status (middle class). The next challenge is cultural stereotyping. This is because of the exaggerated generalizations about a particular group (females). For example in the American culture the females have been stereotyped in terms of their emotions. It is believed that females experience and also express sadness, fear and sympathy. On the other hand men experience and express anger and pride. Another challenge is cultural proximity whereby many cultures are assumed to be similar. For example due to modernization, the subcultures (white and black) in my country have now been integrated almost into one though people come from different places of origin. The other challenge I have faced due to my cultural identity is that of misinterpretation of codes. For example due to my dress code most of my colleagues mistake me for a Muslim lady because I always have veil on my neck and put on a long skirt. There are several occasions whereby my verbal behaviors or cues have been misunderstood like when I use inflections (variation of speech). When I lower the pitch of voice too or make it deeper on certain words. This low pitch implies confidence, certainty, and authority. However my college mates view this as a sign of ignorance or lack of cooperation in speech. Other times I use upward inflection (raised pitch) in speech to communicate uncertainty, surprise and doubt. This however bring about miscommunication when am talking to my college friends who come from other cultures like Muslims who perceive my tone as a sign of coercion and harassment. Some times I repeat my statements as a sign of emphasis but some of my friends perceive that as a speech problem. Often, I get frustrated or angered when my friends mistake these verbal behaviors to be signs of weakness. There are several occasions when my non-verbal behaviors have been misunderstood. For example when I use a frequency of glances to indicate attention, interest and involvement most people think that am being timid and am using it to protect myself from them or as a sign of fatigue. Some of my friends have also misunderstood me through tactile communication (touch). For example I give a warm hug to all my friends as a sign or greetings when we meet but some friends mistake me for a multiple lover. Others mistrust their companions due to these kinds of greetings. This mistrust is caused by the fact that they interpret it emotionally. Some of my friends misinterpret my use of fig which in my culture means you cant have it. They say that it is immoral or obscene. I feel sad when people misinterpret these non-verbal cues.

Monica Lewinsky: Women in Society, Body Image and Feminism :: Essays Papers

Monica Lewinsky: Women in Society, Body Image and Feminism In the current post-impeachment proceedings the question becomes whom it has affected most and what it will mean to them and their agenda. Obvious groups that will suffer most from the impeachment that are subject to the after effects are the Republican Party and American politics in general. As far as individuals are concerned, Monica Lewinsky has a good deal of post-scandal baggage. But what about those who will experience the effects of Monica and what she represents as a woman in American society? The movement which has suffered the most in the standpoint of social and political agenda are the Feminists. Using Feminist criticism to analyze the discourse surrounding and as well as by the speaker, Monica, I aim to reveal how women's place in society led by the Feminist's has changed due the sex scandal and where it maybe headed next. In looking at this aspect of the scandal it becomes crucial not just to analyze the discourse of Feminists and Monica but to find it in a larger scheme of a society which shapes many of the gender roles and pressures put on individuals to look and act in certain ways. There is an evident change in the role of women in American society that has occurred as a result of the scandal which is important not just to the Feminists and their supporters but to any female who enters the public arena and is faced with pressures and expectations put on them as a result of their gender. As a leading special interest group, Feminists, who are politically active concerning gender roles in society, have been at the forefront of the Paula Jones case and the Lewinksy-Clinton scandal. What comes at odds with the Feminist stance in politics is a womanizing Democratic President that they support and his opportunizing and provocative young mistress. It was something the Feminists were neither prepared for nor easily responded to when given the option of a liberal President with sexual issues or the conservative, Republican moralists taking charge. We deplore his misconduct but we also understand the hypocrisy of his opponents. We Have years of progress at stake if the President is hounded out of office. But worse yet, We wish the ushering into power of a puritanical or fundamentaliststs, sex police which Speaks of freedom but allows government to destroy the right of privacy.

An Introduction to Car-sharing & Zipcar Essay

Back in 2000, in lieu of overcrowding in the US car rental market, Zipcar implemented a blue ocean strategy and established its car-sharing business as the dominant alternative to car ownership. Compared to car rentals firms that charge users on a per day basis, Zipcar offers users the flexibility of deciding the number of hours and distance of car usage. In addition, unlike car rental firms which require customers to pick up the cars from their offices, Zipcar allows members to pick up a car from their nearest parking lots located at strategic points throughout metropolitan areas. The added convenience over the traditional car rental business model, coupled with Zipcar’s first mover’s advantage in the US market, led Zipcar to be the largest car-sharing company in the world, with a total of 570,000 members and 8,000 cars. Zipcar’s Service Proposition – 4 Simple Steps to Driving a Zipcar Firstly, new users are required to apply for a Zipcar membership which costs about USD60 annually. Secondly, users proceed to reserve a specific car model at their preferred nearest location, via phone, online or the Zipcar mobile application. Thirdly, users proceed to their reserved cars and unlock their cars by having an RFID scanner located on the car’s windscreen scan their assigned Zipcards. Lastly, users return their cars to designated parking lots and will be subsequently billed on a per-hour basis, without having to pay for fuel or insurance costs. Zipcar’s Four Market Segments The bulk of Zipcar’s operations is located within the US, although it does operate in selective cities of Canada and the UK. Its revenues come from the following four market segments. Individual Membership| Servicing individuals who prefer car-sharing to urban car ownership due to significant cost savings| Universities| Working with universities to address the lack of parking lots by providing car-sharing to staff and students and reducing the number of cars on campus| Businesses & Government| Working with businesses and local governments to meet environmental goals by providing employees access to Zipcars and encouraging car-pooling| FastFleet System| Selling its proprietary and trademarked car-sharing management systems to organizations interested in implementing an internal car-sharing program| Opportunity for Zipcar to Enter the Growing European Car-Sharing Market In 2006, the European Union (EU) announced plans to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint across European nations. Under the new EU energy policy, European nations are required to report their annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. As such, given their ability to reduce the cars on the road and consequently the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints, car-sharing services flourished in Europe. According to Frost & Sullivan, the revenue from car-sharing in Europe is likely to hit $2.6 billion EURO ($3.4 billion USD) by the 2016. This figure even exceeds the projected US car-sharing revenue in 2016 of $3.3 billion USD. Given that the European car-sharing market is likely to be more lucrative than the US one, Zipcar should not miss out on the opportunity to expand its operations to Europe. Our Recommended Goal for Zipcar and Reasons for Recommending It Despite lacking a first-mover’s advantage, we recommend that Zipcar sets its sight on penetrating the European car-sharing market, specifically Germany and Switzerland, and seizing market leadership in the long run. Our group proposes the use of creative collaboration strategies as a workaround to Zipcar’s lack of first-mover’s advantage when entering the aforementioned markets. These strategies will be further elaborated upon in Component #2. Our recommendation of seizing market leadership in Switzerland and Germany is based on the following reasons. Firstly, Zipcar’s acquisition of UK car-sharing market leader (Streetcar) in addition to its minority stake in a Spanish car-sharing start-up (Avancar) provides a solid geographical platform for expansion across Europe. By tapping on the knowledge base regarding the European car-sharing scene Streetcar and Avancar built up over the years, Zipcar could better understand the differences in consumer preferences between European car-sharing customers and their US counterparts without any incurring any market research expenses. Zipcar could then tweak their car-sharing offering and achieve higher levels of market-fit. Secondly, Germany and Switzerland make up 35% and 19% of the European car-sharing market respectivelyv. Apart from the UK, which Zipcar is a market leader in due to its recent acquisition of Streetcar, the remaining European nations only make up single-digit market shares amongst the European car-sharing market. Since Germany and Switzerland make up almost half of the European car-sharing market, entering these two markets instead of other geographic markets should give them the greatest Return on Investment (ROI). Thirdly, by targeting high-growth car-sharing markets like that of Switzerland and Germany, Zipcar can reap substantial economies of scale and scope, which will lead to a lower cost structure, as it increases the size of its car fleet to meet the increasing demand for car-sharing in these nations. For example, Zipcar could negotiate bulk insurance deals at cheaper rates with insurance companies. Seeing as how Zipcar’s recent profit margins have been eroded by increasing operating costs like soaring prices of petrol, it is important that Zipcar explore cost savings through economies of scale and scope to ensure long-term sustainability of profits. Competitive Advantages that Helps Zipcar Fulfill Long Term Goal Firstly, as a car-sharing firm that owns the largest car fleet in the world, Zipcar has developed numerous patented technologies and invests heavily in research and development to uncover new innovations that might strengthen its technological leadership. For instance, its patented â€Å"Z3D Knowledge Center† technology is capable of synchronizing and displaying real-time information like reservation cost, vehicle location maps on various consumer touch-points like the online website, Zipcar mobile application and telephone reservation system. Looking forward, Zipcar is planning to use its proprietary wireless data network to be the first car-sharing provider to implement in-car Bluetooth and even Internet Wi-Fi services. Secondly, over the years, Zipcar has been building a significant amount of brand equity. Today, Zipcar is a brand that is synonymous with car sharing and environmental conservation. Its powerful brand and trustworthy brand name is underscored by the numerous awards it has won over the years. For example, Advertising Age Magazine named Zipcar in its 2009 list of â€Å"Top 30 World’s Hottest Brands†. Given its powerful brand, Zipcar will find it easier to gain the trust of potential collaborative partners. However, transferability of these competitive advantages across geographical boundaries might be held back by differences in consumer behaviours and competitive landscape. For instance, Europe and the US have radically different GPS networks and Zipcar might encounter challenges in implementing its patented GPS-reliant â€Å"Z3D Knowledge Center† technology in Europe. The extent to which Zipcar could leverage on its competitive advantages will ultimately depend on the effectiveness of its deployment strategies. Potential Pitfalls that Zipcar Should Look Out for When Pursuing its Goals While penetrating the European market, Zipcar should be wary of the threat it might face in the US market from an emerging form of car-sharing where online communities like Zimride allow individuals to form car pools with others who reside near them. It is important that Zipcar hedge against this increasingly popular form of car-sharing by not overcommitting its financial capital to the European market, and allocating a fixed portion of its annual marketing budget to the US market, in order to differentiate itself from Zimride as the superior car-sharing offering through the use of creative marketing initiatives and even sales promotions.. Challenges Faced as a Second-Mover into the Germany and Switzerland Market We established in Component 1 that Zipcar’s next logical course of action will be to compete for market leadership in Switzerland and Germany. However, this will be an uphill task, as Car2Go and Mobility, the respective market leaders in Germany and Switzerland, have leveraged on their first movers advantage to erect significant barriers to entry. Firstly, as first movers, Car2Go and Mobility have established themselves as technological leaders and have shaped customer expectations regarding car-sharing technological features. For instance, Car2Go has installed patent-pending electronic dashboards in their cars, which allows users to get directional help via GPS technology, as well as keep track of distance travelled and its resultant costs. Zipcar on the other hand, is in the midst of implementing such technologies and might come across as an inferior choice to certain group of customers. Secondly, Car2Go and Mobility have pre-emptively secured scarce assets vital for success of a car-sharing business. Being first on the scene, they have secured strategic and limited parking lots around the cities as their designated car-sharing parking lots. Facing the above second mover’s disadvantages, it will be challenge for Zipcar to enter the new markets in the conventional manner. As such, our team recommends using creative collaborations strategies, tailored specifically for Germany and Switzerland separately. Entry into Germany as a Second-Mover via Collaboration with a Railway Operator * Reasons Why Zipcar Should Collaborate with Deutsche Bahn AG By collaborating with Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG), the government-owned railway operator, Zipcar will gain swift access to scarce resources in form of car-sharing parking lots. In the urban areas, most of the limited viable parking lots have already been converted into Car2Go’s designated lot due to their first mover’s position, leaving close to none for new entrants. Being a state-owned public transport operator, DBAG holds strategic state-owned land areas in urban districts, which could be converted into designated Zipcar parking lots. This is made possible by a German legislation allowing government authorities to authorize the conversion of state-owned land into car-sharing stations and lots. As such, Zipcar avoids the lengthy process of acquiring parking lots on their own prior to beginning operations, during which Car2Go would have continued to strengthen its market leadership in the absence of Zipcar. * Reasons Why Deutsche Bahn AG Would Want to Collaborate with Zipcar The DB brand is synonymous with being the â€Å"frontrunner on climate protection†. By collaborating with Zipcar, which â€Å"takes 100,000 cars off the road and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 150 million pounds annually†, DB could tap on Zipcar’s credibility and proven track record of being environmentally friendly to enhance its brand equity as consumers start to closely associate the two brands over time. Besides, prior in-depth studies in European nations have shown that collaboration between car-sharing and public transport firms have resulted in higher profit margins for both party. * Executing the Collaboration and Achieving Long Term Market Leadership This collaboration will seek to integrate different transport options, giving citizens in Germany the option of catching a train for the main part of a trip, before picking up a Zipcar at a specific station and drive for the last part of the journey. The customers of DBAG are an ideal target segment for Zipcar to extend its service offering to, as these frequent railway commuters are unlikely to own a car. Hence, Zipcar should launch initiatives that convert railway commuters into Zipcar members. For instance, Zipcar could execute joint marketing campaigns with DBAG promoting joint-package pricing programs where consumers enjoy discounted rates for railway train rides and Zipcar’s car sharing services. Zipcar can also leverage on the unique marketing channels DBAG offers by posting marketing collaterals in railway stations and within trains themselves to educate commuters about its car-sharing offer. Given that countless Germans take the railway every day, this serves an effective platform for Zipcar to reach out to an enormous target group. These marketing collaterals should also make the partnership between DBAG and Zipcar obvious, through slogans like â€Å"Zipcar – the public car from DBAG†. Knowing that the service is jointly-offered by their established and trusted public operator, consumers will be more receptive to Zipcar’s offer. In the interest of user convenience and expediting the adoption rate, Zipcar should clearly indicate on the DB railway transport route map which stations offer car-sharing services. Zipcar should also station staff at railway stations providing reliable information regarding car-sharing. Entry into Switzerland as a Second-Mover via Collaboration with Universities Mobility, the Switzerland car-sharing market leader, is involved in a collaboration with the Swiss Federal Railways. Hence, Zipcar cannot use the same collaboration strategy as what we proposed for Germany and we suggest Zipcar collaborate with local universities instead. * Reasons Why Zipcar Should Collaborate with Switzerland Universities Zipcar lacks a knowledge-base about the Switzerland car-sharing market, particularly consumer preferences and strategic locations where car-sharing is in high demand. By collaborating with local universities that serve an importance source of learning, Zipcar could rapidly build up its knowledge-base through interactions with tertiary students, as compared to venturing into the market alone without any form of market intelligence or research. Universities are also ideal collaboration partners as college students are generally open-minded youths who form the majority of the â€Å"early adopters† who are eager to try new innovative ideas like car-sharing. * Reasons Why the Switzerland Universities Would Want to Collaborate with Zipcar The collaboration with Zipcar achieves a strategic fit – reduction of carbon footprint. Switzerland is one of the leading environmentally friendly countries due to continuous governmental efforts to promote a green lifestyle. Zipcar’s mission statement of reducing global carbon footprint will resonate well with these government-linked universities. In addition, most Switzerland universities, especially those located in the city, face parking management issues due to the lack of land and face an institutional need to reduce cars parked on campus. Collaboration with Zipcar provides a cost-effective manner of solving the above issues, given Zipcar eight-years’ worth of partnership experience with US colleges, during which they achieved a proven track record of cutting down the number of cars and traffic congestions in various campuses. * Executing the Collaboration and Achieving Long Term Market Leadership Initially, Zipcar should focus on promoting mass adoption among university students. As it is a rite of passage for most European graduates to purchase a car when they leave school, it is crucial for Zipcar to get students to experience the benefits of car-sharing first-hand and warm them up to the idea of a car-free lifestyle post college years. Since most university students have limited spending power, Zipcar should tailor its marketing initiatives to convey the cost savings students will enjoy as a Zipcar member, due to their lack of a need to pay for car insurance, parking and rising fuel prices. Zipcar might also want to emphasize a story of convenience, where students’ matriculation cards could double as Zipcards that unlock Zipcars. Taking into consideration that university students are mostly Millennial (adults belonging to Generation Y), who are progressively getting more environmentally conscious, Zipcar could also highlight the fact it offers a selection of hybrid cars, like the Totyota Prius and Citroà «n C1. Upon achieving mass adoption status, Zipcar should convert graduating college students into life-long Zipcar members, by offering incentives of lower annual membership fees and loyalty points. By targeting a specific target segment (i.e. college students) instead of competing head-on with Mobility for the same group of customers, Zipcar can steadily grow its market share and eventually emerge in a good position to challenge for market leadership. Bibliography i Baan, J., Mack, D., Murphy, T., Sharma, S., & Watson, L. (2011, 08 22). Zipcar to set the Pace in Race for â€Å"Young Urbanite† Market. Glendale, Arizona, USA. ii Edgar Online. (2011, 04 14). Edgar Online – ZIPCAR INC. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Edgar Online: http://www.edgar-online.com iii Garthwaite, J. (2011, 4 14). Car Sharing Startups Bask in Zipcar’s I.P.O Glow. New York, USA: New York Times. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from NY Times.com: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/car-sharing-start-ups-bask-in-zipcars-i-p-o-glow/ iv Zipcar Inc. (2011, 01 01). How It Works. 4 simple steps to freedom from car rental and ownership – Zipcar. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Zipcar: http://www.zipcar.com/how/ v Zipcar Inc. (2011, 01 01). Rate & Plans, car sharing instead of car rental and owning a car – Zipcar. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Zipcar Inc: http://www.zipcar.com/dc/check-rates

The education in Britain and China

The Education in Britain and China Abstract: Education plays an important role all over the world. A highly developed nation depends on educated professionals and a skilled workforce. Education is an absolute necessity for economic and social development. UK and China, sharing different culture, have two typically different education systems. This essay pays more attention to the diversity of two education systems. Some similarities and differences can be found, which can be classified as the comparison in eastern and western education. Key Words: Education; Britain; China;Introduction: The education system of the I-JK is quite special and has an old history of evolution. It differs from that of China, but there are also some connections and differences between two countries. As for which one is better, it depends. Just as a coin has two sides, both are better than each other in some areas. Body: 1 . Education System Education is a vital concern throughout Britain. The Britain educat ion system is divided into early years, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. While in China the public education is run by the Ministry of Education.All citizens must attend school for at least nine years. The government provides free primary education and secondary education for the teenagers. And there is also pre- school education, higher education and other educations. 1 Pre- school Education Up to age 5, children in Britain may have some pre-schooling in nursery schools, day care or play groups. The government has no obligation to provide such facilities, so many schools are private enterprise arrangement. The condition is similar in China. While the government also provides some financial support for parents in Britain, hat we don't have in China. Primary School In Britain, primary education is given for the students aging from 5 to 11. In this period, students learn to read and write. It is similar to the educational system in China. 3 Secondary Educ ation In Britain, students from 11 to 16 years old receive secondary education. They follow a general syllabus which leads to the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). After passing this exam, there is a selection of subjects. Lessons are given together with assignments which need to be completed in order to pass this level. While in China, the aim of three-year middle education is to enter into a better high school.High school is essential for Chinese students to get into a better university. So it is necessary for Chinese students to study hard. 4 Higher Education After further studies in the I-JK, students can accept higher studies. There are about 90 universities, including the Open University, Oxford, and Cambridge, that were established in the 13th Century. Universities are funded indirectly by central government grants. They enjoy complete academic freedom, appoint their own staff, ecide what kind of students to admit, provide their own courses and award their ow n degrees.Admission is by selection, which is on the basis of A- level results, school reterences and an interview. Older students may quality tor admission through different examinations provided by fundamental courses of further education at colleges. Degrees are awarded after successful continuous work assessment and final examinations. The higher education in China is obviously different from I-JK. In China, it is commonly considered that public universities, especially those national universities are better than private ones, under great nfluence by the Soviet Union's higher education system.Universities in China generally select their students based on students' performances in the College Entrance Examinations; the entrance scores required by public universities are typically much higher than those of private ones. 2. Teaching Mode On the whole, we may use â€Å"flexibility' to describe British mode and â€Å"formality' to outline Chinese mode. This kind of mode is typical in the universities. In British, there is no fixed text books or bibliography, your texts are in the library and in every aspects of social life related to your specialty.The professor will choose his content of teaching in accordance with the latest trends and requirements of society. Apart from traditional classes and lectures, informal group work, presentation and manual practices also abound, which improve students' ability to pose new points as well as to analysis and solve practical problems. All of these make them more competitive in the Job market. In contrast, Chinese pattern of teaching is more systematic and rigorous, inheriting the legacy of feudal times. The majesty of teacher prevailing, few disciples dare to defer the supreme authority of their hierophant.This sort of manner ensures the accurate and effective inform of knowledge, while hampers the spirit of innovation. Despite new systems of appraisal of pupils imported from the west, exams still retains its dominant place in evaluating how a student is getting on. That is probably why Chinese â€Å"geniuses† sweep almost all the gold medals of ‘MO, but none manage to get a Nobel Prize in science technology. 3. Conclusion The British school children are not designed for the future to impart certain specialized knowledge, but the key to expand children's horizons, to develop good abits, for future acceptance of high level education.Children in the classroom learn what they want and how to learn. The class atmosphere is free with no unified regulations or formal syllabus, but with children's love to move, easy to transfer the characteristics of interest, whenever and wherever possible to replace the teaching content. In addition to simple reading, writing, calculating, music, dancing, painting, and handmade, they also carry out various activities whatever children like. â€Å"Open education† is the biggest characteristic of British school children. This kind of eaching method i s used in both group activities and individual activities.A flexible schedule and many self-education materials are used to cultivate children's independence and creativity. The Chinese education is a little bit different from Britain's. Children in China are a little more stressed than those in Britain. China's exam-oriented education is a huge burden for today's children. Designed to give the students hardly any time to breath, the Chinese education system is adept in teaching the children â€Å"summaries†, also teaching that it's perfectly acceptable not to uestion the status quo. (A Chinese Teacher's Perspective: China and the U.S. Education Systems Compared) In conclusion, the differences between Britain and China result from the culture differences. The western education puts emphasis on diversi ty, tree learning atmosphere and the lite principle ot playing, learning and growing. It is something that we lack and need to modestly study. While there is no strict core syst em in the content of the curriculum, happy growth reduces to follow one's own inclination. Each has its own merits. All we need to do is that†learn from ach other, take the essence and discard the dregs, and grow together.

My Number Essay Example

My Number Essay Example My Number Essay My Number Essay Interpretation of â€Å"My Number† by Billy Collins Billy Collins’ poem, â€Å"My Number† combines the use of personification and imagery to illustrate the uneasy feeling of uncertainty in regard to Death and its imminence. The persona is waiting in constant fear for Death’s arrival, as he is clearly not ready for Death to find him. Collins uses personification in the first stanza when he writes the following: Is Death†¦ reaching for a widow in Cincinnati or breathing down the neck of a lost hiker in British Columbia? (1-4) Death is able to move about from place to place, and the persona wonders how far Death is from his own house. Death is given the ability to â€Å"reach† (2) and â€Å"breathe† (3), which are human actions. This gives the first allusion to the Grim Reaper, as that is the best known image of Death, personified. The second stanza also personifies Death as he â€Å"tampers† (6), â€Å"scatters† (7), and â€Å"loosens† (8). Death is wreaking havoc wherever he goes. He messes with brakes, gives people cancer, and terrorizes roller coasters (5-8). The persona ponders the ways Death could use to do his dirty work. The third stanza is where one senses the true fear of the persona. His main concern is if Death is â€Å"too busy.. to bother with [his] hidden cottage/ that visitors find so hard to find. † (5, 9-10) He is hoping Death has too much to do to bother with searching for this well-hidden house in the middle of nowhere. In the fourth stanza, the poem takes a turn when the poet combines the personification of Death with the imagery of Death. The persona imagines Death at the end of his driveway, stepping out of a hearse with his black cloak on, hood up, and scythe in hand (11-15). This is a second, more obvious allusion to the Grim Reaper; however, this time Death is at his own door. The final stanza begins with a question of uncomfortable humor that the persona would regularly need to ask his visitors, since his house is so hard to find. Collins writes, â€Å"Did you have any trouble with the directions? /I will ask, as I start talking my way out of this. † (16-17) The persona is trying to lighten the mood of the situation, so he can find a way to escape Death. As the persona dwells on Death, it becomes closer and more real to him. He is wasting time worrying about something unavoidable. As he ponders Death, it ultimately finds him unprepared and more terrified than ever to die.

Chronology of American History From 1726 to 1750

Chronology of American History From 1726 to 1750 1726 Log College at Neshaminy in Bucks County is founded. It will be important in training evangelists who will become involved in the Great Awakening movement that will occur in the 1730s and 1740s.Riots occur in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania colony governor will forcefully put down the riots. 1727 Anglo-Spanish War breaks out. It lasts a little more than one year, with skirmishes mainly in the Carolinas.George II becomes King of England.History of the Five Indian Nations by Dr. Cadwallader Colden is published. It details information about the Iroquois tribes.Benjamin Franklin creates the Junto Club, a group of mostly artisans who are socially progressive. 1728 The first American synagogue is built on Mill Street in New York City.Horses and carriages are banned in Boston Common. It will eventually be called the oldest park in the United States. 1729 North Carolina becomes a royal colony.Benjamin Franklin begins publishing the Pennsylvania Gazette.The Old South Meeting House is built in Boston. It will become a key meeting place for revolutionaries and was where the Boston Tea Party meetings occurred. 1730 North Carolina and South Carolina are confirmed as royal provinces by the British parliament.The city of Baltimore in the Maryland colony is established. It is named after Lord Baltimore.The Philosophical Society is founded in Newport, Rhode Island which has become a vacation destination due to its spa. 1731 The first public library in American colonies is founded in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin and his Junto Club. It is called the Library Company of Philadelphia.The American colonial legislatures are not allowed to place monetary duties on imported slaves according to royal decree. 1732 Georgia becomes a colony out of land from the South Carolina territory when the Charter of 1732 is issued to James Oglethorpe and others.Construction begins on the Pennsylvania State House, better known as Independence Hall, in Philadelphia.George Washington is born on February 22nd in the Virginia colony.The first Catholic church in the American colonies is founded. It will be the only Catholic church erected before the American Revolution.Benjamin Franklin begins publishing Poor Richards Almanac, which will become a huge success.The Hat Act is passed by parliament, banning hats to be imported from one American colony to another, in an attempt to help London hatmakers. 1733 James Oglethorpe arrives in Georgia with 130 new colonists. He soon founds Savannah.The Molasses Act is passed by parliament setting heavy import duties on molasses, rum, and sugar from Caribbean islands other than those controlled by the British.The New York Weekly Journal begins publication with John Peter Zenger as its editor. 1734 John Peter Zenger is arrested for seditious libel against New York Governor William Cosby.Jonathan Edwards preaches a series of sermons in Northampton, Massachusetts that begins the Great Awakening. 1735 The trial of John Peter Zenger takes place after the newspaper editor spent ten months imprisoned. Andrew Hamilton defends Zenger, who is acquitted, for the statements he published were true, and thus could not be libelous.The first American fire insurance company is founded in Charleston. It will be bankrupt within five years, when half of Charleston is devastated by a fire. 1736 John and Charles Wesley arrive in the Georgia colony at the invitation of James Oglethorpe. They bring the ideas of Methodism to the American colonies. 1737 The first citywide celebration of St. Patricks Day is held in Boston.The Walking Purchase of 1737 occurs in Pennsylvania. William Penns son Thomas employs swift walkers to pace the boundaries of land given by the Delaware Indians. According to their treaty, they are to receive the land a man can walk in a day and a half. The Indians feel that the use of professional walkers is cheating and refuse to leave the land. The colonists enlist the help of the Iroquois Indians in their removal.A border dispute between Massachusetts and New Hampshire begins that will last for over 150 years. 1738 English Methodist evangelist George Whitefield, a key figure in the Great Awakening, arrives in Savannah, Georgia.The New Jersey colony gets its own governor for the first time. Lewis Morris is appointed to the position.John Winthrop, one of the most important scientists in the American colonies, is appointed to the chair of mathematics at Harvard University. 1739 Three uprisings of African-Americans occur in South Carolina resulting in numerous deaths.The War of Jenkins Ear begins between England and Spain. It will last until 1742 and will become part of the larger War of Austrian Succession.The Rocky Mountains are first sighted by French explorers Pierre and Paul Mallet. 1740 The War of Austrian Succession begins in Europe. The colonists will officially join the fight in 1743.James Oglethorpe of the Georgia colony leads troops along with Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Creek Indians to capture two forts from the Spanish in Florida. However, they will later fail to take St. Augustine.Fifty slaves are hanged in Charleston, South Carolina when their planned revolt is discovered.Famine in Ireland sends many settlers to the Shenandoah Valley area, along with other southern colonies in America. 1741 New Hampshire colony gets its own governor for the first time. The English crown appoints Benning Wentworth to the position. 1742 Benjamin Franklin invents the Franklin Stove, a better and safer way to heat homes.Nathanael Greene, American Revolutionary War General, is born. 1743 The American Philosophical Society is founded in Philadelphia by the Junto Club and Benjamin Franklin. 1744 The American phase of the War of Austrian Succession, called King Georges War, begins.The Six Nations of the Iroquois League grant the English colonies their lands in the northern Ohio territory. They will have to fight the French for this land. 1745 The French fortress of Louisbourg is captured by a combined New England force and fleet during King Georges War.During King Georges War, the French burn the English settlement of Saratoga in the New York colony. 1746 The boundary between Massachusetts colony and Rhode Island colony is officially set by parliament. 1747 The New York Bar Association, the first legal society in the American colonies, is founded. 1748 King Georges War concludes with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. All colonies are restored to their original owners from before the war including Louisbourg. 1749 The Ohio Company is at first granted 200,000 acres of land between the Ohio and Great Kanawha Rivers and the Allegheny Mountains. An additional 500,000 acres is added later in the year.Slavery is allowed in the Georgia Colony. It had been prohibited since the colonys founding in 1732. 1750 The Iron Act is passed by parliament, putting a halt to the growth of the iron-finishing business in the colonies, to help protect the English iron industry. Resource and Further Reading: Schlesinger, Arthur M., editor. The Almanac of American History. Barnes Noble, 2004.

Overview of the Musical The Phantom of the Opera

Overview of the Musical The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. Based on Gaston Leroux’s gothic novel, Phantom holds the record as the longest-running musical on Broadway. For over twenty years, Webber’s masked musical has wowed audiences with its over 9000 performances on the West End, not to mention the countless touring companies that have spread Phantom-mania throughout the world. So, What Makes Phantom So Popular? The Phantom of the Opera combines high-tech stagecraft with good old fashioned melodrama. Consider some of the elements featured in this musical: A sweeping musical score.Powerful, operatic voices.Sharp, direction by Harold Prince.A sprinkling of ballet choreographed by Gillian Lynne.Elaborate costumes and dozens of quick changes.And when all else fails to entertain: Throw in a falling chandelier. Why Do Some People Hate Phantom? Anytime something is immensely successful, a critical backlash is to be expected. In my observations, many who are serious about musicals despise much of Webber’s work, opting instead, for instance, for the more complex compositions of Stephen Sondheim. Some might argue that The Phantom of the Opera is filled with gimmicky effects, flat characters, and sub-par trilling. As warranted as these criticisms might be, there is a component to this show that remains the secret of its phenomenal success. The show has been a hit for over two decades because the character of the Phantom is a mesmerizing anti-hero. The Bad Boy Image Step one in winning the hearts of the female audience: create a mysterious character with a dark side. Step two: Make certain that underneath that dangerous exterior lurks a loving heart, ready to bloom when the right woman happens along. A character that is seemingly cold, callous, and even cruel delights the hearts of romance addicts. Just look at some of these supposed jerks who turned into dreamboats: The Beast from Beauty and the BeastEdward Cullen from TwilightMr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice The Phantom’s character possesses these traits – but there are some key differences. For one, the Phantom murders two innocent people. He crosses a moral boundary, making us wonder – should we despise him or pity him? Also, most romantic leads are stereotypically attractive. Even the protagonist from Beauty and the Beast was secretly a handsome prince. Not so, with the Phantom. He appears attractive until the mask is wiped away, revealing his hideous deformation. Musical Genius and Renaissance Man To contrast his violent nature, the Phantom is a masterful composer of brooding ballads which have the power to transfix the young singer, Christine Daae. More than just a musician, the Phantom is also almost like a Parisian Batman. He’s got a cool lair, which he constructed himself. He has created a plethora of inventions (some of them deadly). Also, he is a shrewd businessman (or extortionist) because he constantly sends payment notices to the opera managers. We can only assume he also designs his own costumes. All of this talent almost makes the viewer want to ignore his murderous crimes. Sensitive Soul or Sinister Stalker? Yes, The Phantom of the Opera has been called the most â€Å"haunting romance† of all time. But think of it: would you really want someone becoming obsessed over you the way the Phantom becomes obsessed with Christine? Maybe not. Today we call that stalking. However, because deep down the Phantom has a sensitive soul, audiences ultimately become sympathetic to him, despite his villainous behavior. Through exposition, we learn that the Phantom was imprisoned in a carnival freak show. We also learn that his own mother despised him. He sings about his appearance: â€Å"This face which earned a mother’s fear and loathing.† These details put the audience in a forgiving mood. In the final scene, the Phantom attempts a devious plan. He threatens to kill Christine’s handsome boyfriend, Raoul unless she decides to live with the Phantom. However, his plan backfires. Christine sings, â€Å"Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known. God give me courage to show you, you are not alone.† Then, she bestows upon the Phantom a long, passionate kiss. After the smooch, the Phantom is overwhelmed by the experience of physical affection. He feels an unselfish love for Christine and he releases the young lovebirds. His transformation differs from other stories which hinge upon true love’s kiss. In this case, the Beast archetype doesn’t turn into a handsome prince. However, he does undergo a moral awakening. And it is that moment, the Phantoms reaction to the kiss, that makes The Phantom of the Opera a classic.

Vietnam Country Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Vietnam Country Report - Research Paper Example After achieving independence in 1945, the French nation did not offer financial support to Vietnam; furthermore, Americans intervened into the matters of this nation. The nation was divided into two; the northern socialist and the southern communist. Both sides faced major challenges despite the effort put by the first president to stabilize the whole nation. However, in 1976, the two regions merged and became one nation of Vietnam. This was a big step, which later led to economic development. The major vices faced by this country included dictatorship and corruption, even though in the recent past, the government have put efforts to negate these attributes, so as to rise more in terms of economy, hence gaining recognition by international communities. Keywords: Vietnam, Government, Colonial Powers, Colony, France, Rule, America, Independence, Nation, Socialist, Communist, Dictatorship, Corruption, International Community Political History of Vietnam Vietnam is a country that had bee n under colonial rule for a long time. It was ruled by the Chinese for around 1053 years, before the rule of Japan and some other regions by France. However in 1945, Vietnam was declared a free state by the then leader, Ho Chi Minh. In his independence declaration, he tried to sooth the Americans so as to support the move against France, from reclaiming any territory of Vietnam. After the Second World War, America associated itself with France to reclaim some of its territories in Vietnam. This was to the disappointment of Ho Chi Minh, and although this attempt failed, the Americans tried to colonize the Vietnamese, in a move to ensure that Vietnam was transformed to a western oriented nation. Vietnam had lost most of its valuables and could neither have freedom to have its own government, nor develop its own economy; instead it was constantly in war. This angered the then American president Roosevelt in 1944, who complained that France had milked Vietnam for many years (Bradley & Y oung, 2008). All along, with the separation of Vietnam into communist south and socialist north, the country could not make any substantial development. Instead it was a fight for supremacy, and there were many militias and foreign aggressions. However, in 1974, Vietnam was united, although it further faced segregation from the international community. It had been accused of invading Cambodia, faced cold war and had been granted sanctions by America. It was a difficult situation given that the currencies were controlled by these nations. The leaders struggled to progress with the limited freedom and with the unstable economy. Nevertheless, their effort began to bear fruits in 1986, when it adopted economic reforms, which saw the economy grow substantially. This is the country that had been affected most my political instability. Had such a nation been granted its independence earlier, then it would have grown long ago and reached greater heights in its economy. Its growth due to the independence is enough evidence to show that it had potential, but lacked the opportunity. Its restoration is also attributed to the Paris agreement of 1991, where it established diplomatic and economical relations with other nations. Vietnam Political system Vietnam is a presidential state. It is headed by the chief of state, who is the president, and the head of government is the prime

Social Phobia Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Phobia - Article Example What makes social phobia different from other kinds of anxiety disorder is that individuals affected by the disorder are always concerned with the feelings of other people towards their attitude. This makes them to be cautious with their selves and in the process affects their attitude and behavior as they always want to impress audiences around them. The disorder can be diagnosed at early childhood, but for researchers who have studied it, they say the disorder always affects individuals who are in their youth. The causative agents of the disorder are always assumed to be over protective parents of limited social opportunities. Individuals who are suffering from the disorder can get a remedy for their situation by making a visit to a psychologist, however learning to socialize more and confronting fears are also steps to help in putting the disorder under control. The disorder can be passed on from one generation to the next by being inherited from parents or relatives. This makes it difficult to be diagnosed as there are no known signs and symptoms that have been established. In addition, the disorder can be caused due to environmental factors which are responsible for shaping the attitudes and behaviors of individuals within a society. Nordqvist, C, Nordqvist. "What Is Social Anxiety Disorder? What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder? ." Medical News Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

Team Sports Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Team Sports Economics - Essay Example Also compared to others it is a small academic field altogether. The pioneer of this economics’ field is said to be S. Rottenberg, who happened to be working at the renowned University of Massachusetts as an economist. He focused on the market of baseball players and did a journal in 1956 entitled, â€Å"Journal of Political Economy.† 1(Kasenne, 2007 p1) This is a study which seeks to put its entire concentration on the aforementioned field of economics and it will go on to discuss the field in detail. The write out will vividly make a comprehensive and an unbiased look at the team sports’ economics. To this it will answer the study question, â€Å"How effective are the competition balance policies in the models of sport evidenced in North America and Europe?† Examples to make this topic more understandable and interesting to read will be given from the current professional leagues in these two nations. The study will start by looking at the North American case and then continue to have a look at the European case. Many are the times that leagues have not portrayed the best interests of the set policies by the bodies responsible. This has left the loyal fans of various clubs disappointed. European football has not been spared by negative scandals that strike leagues off the competitive balance. The study sets out by tackling of the North American scenario portrays a good number of professional leagues with the inclusion of National Basketball Association commonly known referred by the initials NBA, Major League Baseball- MLB, National Football League (NFL) and also the hockey league- National Hockey League (NHL). The leagues in entirety are privately owned with regards to individual teams involved. Thus, the league is a private team ownership kind of league run together with the administrators they use their discretion to choose. Administrators are commonly referred to as Commissioners. Apart from their being the sole determiners of the plays taking place for the branded league, these leagues also take part in ample activities like definition of territories, their protection, making decisions on the location of teams by way of relocation and expansion as well as making negotiations of players, players’ unions, location of teams and TV contracts. Besides these responsibilities the leagues may be with the competitive balance’s future interest. By way of default or from another perspective the owners’ of the teams’ agendas, the policies made by the league enhance level balance in the upholding of competitiveness. Expounding on this view, the Rottenberg’s sentiments are going to be cited. According to him, team fans would rather their teams won in close kind of games than any other outcomes. Fans also have another preference in their list and that is; there should be occasional hopes brought about by the form portrayed in the post-season plays by the teams that they support. Imbal anced games are, therefore, a counter-expectation on the preferences by fans. In other words, competitive balance is what is most preferred by team fans. In a case where in a league there are problematic imbalances the fans of this league that harbors losers will experience a decline in the interests they had for the teams they support. If the same fans continued supporting the league with the same level of thrill as before despite the losing team’

Discuss the effects that the institution of slavery had on Atlantic Essay

Discuss the effects that the institution of slavery had on Atlantic Civilization - Essay Example The Europeans and American colonies were interested in Atlantic slavery because the location was easily accessible and secondly it was cheaper to get slaves. In order to prove the thesis of this paper that slave trade had great impacts on Atlantic, let’s zoom into what happened. The ancient Egyptian society is well much known for its unique pyramids. The construction of pyramids was done by slaves who worked for long hours under inhumane conditions. Young people especially from the Hebrew community were the ones who were building the pyramids. With the capital punishment of death, they would opt to endure the hardship as the best options. This can be attributed to the reign and era of Pharaoh. These slaves had no right to anything as they were constantly subjected to servitude. Therefore, the results of slavery led to construction of pyramids (Carney, Judith, and Richard, 21). There was also acquisitions, by African, of European good and commodities, in exchange of human cargo. This is to say that European slave trade terms and conditions demanded that, in exchange for their goods, like guns, cooking utensils, attire and alcoholic drinks, they required slaves rather that gold. As a result of this, merchants, who traded for Europeans, were encouraged to get slaves so that they can exchange with European commodities. Consequently, this desire to acquire European commodities led to slow economic growth in internal trade. This is because, demand for internal commodities went down. On the other hand, the acquisition of guns in both the Central and West Africa enabled establishment of military and political tribes in Africa (Green, 3). Besides trading human for European commodities, some European slave traders exchanged slaves for gold. As a result, there was accumulation of wealth within the European slave trade chatter. With availability of wealth, slave merc hants were not only able to facilitate industrial revolutions and capitalist production, but they

Aerodynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aerodynamics - Essay Example the main topic, the Vortilon, a simple stall prevention device that was developed based on shared experience and is now freely integrated with all new aircraft entering the intensely price and performance-sensitive market. In today’s cutthroat competition between airlines, only those airlines operating the entire gamut of air and ground operations at optimum efficiency will survive. The principal contributor to an airline’s bottom line is the quality of aircraft it operates. The same competition exists between the manufacturers as well, with an identical base criterion, i.e., the quality of aircraft they produce. Essentially, the governing factor is the maximum number of passengers that can be flown the longest distance in one trip with the minimum consumption of expensive aviation fuel in each category of aircraft─ short, medium, long and ultra-long range. â€Å"Every Kg. of basic aircraft weight saved is a million dollars saved over a life span of twenty-five years,† according to Dr. Kota Harinarayan, Project Director, LCA, India, my mentor in aerodynamics (1986) (n.p.). Designing an aircraft and sections thereof take millions of man-hours from the drawing board to first flight to fully operational status. Aircraft have to be sleek and light, its surfaces as smooth as a baby’s skin, no unwanted drag creating protrusions, etc. Everything is centered about minimum weight, minimum drag and optimal use of CAD/CAM in the field of aerodynamics to extract maximum lift at minimum engine thrust in flight, with highest passenger density. Any aerodynamic innovation is most welcome. I do not propose to look at ground operations like ticketing, loading, salaries, etc. That leaves only the aircraft. Here, there are two factors to be considered, the engine and the airframe. Since this Paper is specifically aimed at an aerodynamic concept, I will discuss engines only in brief. NASA (2008) describes four propulsion systems: The Propeller, the Ramjet, the Rocket and

Health and Safety Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Health and Safety Management - Assignment Example It is important to emphasize to employees that they can talk freely about health and safety and that they have an assessable system in place that provides an open transparent conduit by which they can voice their concerns. It is important to provide a formal, scheduled meeting, or even an ad hoc open session to receive regular feedback.   Simple forms posted on bulletin board announcing discussions on health and safety issues are encouraged.   Each day, an average of 9,000 U.S. workers sustain disabling injuries on the job, 17 workers die from an injury sustained at work, and 137 workers die from work-related diseases. The economic burden of this continuing toll is high. Data from federal studies published in 1997 showed that in 1992, direct and indirect costs of occupational injuries and illnesses totaled $171 billion. These costs are compared to costs for other major health problems in the chart at the top of the next page. The function and purpose of regulations are to give details of requirements that must be observed in the workplace.   Regulations are the second tier of current legislation. While they are subordinate to the existing laws, they still represent legal requirements, and failure to comply will generally be an offence punishable by a fine. The Act (Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, is about making workplaces and work practices safer for everyone.) (The State of Queensland (Department of Employment and Industrial Relations) 2006. broadly outlines the legal obligations employers and workers have to workplace health and safety. The Regulations set out goals for meeting these legal obligations and making workplaces safe.   Employers and workers can tailor safety measures to the needs of individual workplaces provided the outcomes specified in the Regulations are achieved.

Aerodynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aerodynamics - Essay Example the main topic, the Vortilon, a simple stall prevention device that was developed based on shared experience and is now freely integrated with all new aircraft entering the intensely price and performance-sensitive market. In today’s cutthroat competition between airlines, only those airlines operating the entire gamut of air and ground operations at optimum efficiency will survive. The principal contributor to an airline’s bottom line is the quality of aircraft it operates. The same competition exists between the manufacturers as well, with an identical base criterion, i.e., the quality of aircraft they produce. Essentially, the governing factor is the maximum number of passengers that can be flown the longest distance in one trip with the minimum consumption of expensive aviation fuel in each category of aircraft─ short, medium, long and ultra-long range. â€Å"Every Kg. of basic aircraft weight saved is a million dollars saved over a life span of twenty-five years,† according to Dr. Kota Harinarayan, Project Director, LCA, India, my mentor in aerodynamics (1986) (n.p.). Designing an aircraft and sections thereof take millions of man-hours from the drawing board to first flight to fully operational status. Aircraft have to be sleek and light, its surfaces as smooth as a baby’s skin, no unwanted drag creating protrusions, etc. Everything is centered about minimum weight, minimum drag and optimal use of CAD/CAM in the field of aerodynamics to extract maximum lift at minimum engine thrust in flight, with highest passenger density. Any aerodynamic innovation is most welcome. I do not propose to look at ground operations like ticketing, loading, salaries, etc. That leaves only the aircraft. Here, there are two factors to be considered, the engine and the airframe. Since this Paper is specifically aimed at an aerodynamic concept, I will discuss engines only in brief. NASA (2008) describes four propulsion systems: The Propeller, the Ramjet, the Rocket and

Trends and Challenges in Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Trends and Challenges in Human Resource Management Essay a.Discuss how a complete performance management system differs from the use of annual performance appraisals. The performance management cycle begins with objective setting where the appraisee ought to be oriented about performance expectations for the given performance period. Throughout the period, performance is measured officially through the performance appraisal exercise, where the appraiser is given the chance to give performance feedback through an interview. The performance management system subsumes the performance appraisal process, and is meaningfully linked to rewards based on outcomes or results. Following all these, modifications are implemented to objectives and activities, including the drafting of an individual development plan for closing competency gaps (Clarke, Rogers, Miklos, 1996). The following section describes the different types of performance appraisal systems, which, as emphasized, is only one part of the performance management cycle. The following discusssion is being made to reiterate the idea that performance appraisal is but one part of performance management. Trait-focused appraisal systems. A trait-focused system concentrates on employees’ attributes such as their dependability, assertiveness, and friendliness. Though commonly used, trait focused performance appraisal instruments are not a good idea because they provide poor feedback and thus will not result in employee development and growth (Kingstrom Bass, 1981). For example, in a performance review meeting in which the supervisor tells an employee that she received low ratings on responsibility and friendliness, the employee is likely to become defensive. Furthermore, the employee will want specific examples the supervisor may not have available (Kingstrom Bass, 1981). Behaviour-focused performance appraisal systems. Behaviour-focused instruments focus on what an employee does. Instead of rating them on personal traits, a behaviour-focused instrument would rate him or her on specific behaviours. For example, in the case of a bank teller, some behaviours that may be rated on are as follows: â€Å"Knows customers’ names†, and â€Å"Thanks customer after each transaction.† The obvious advantage to a behaviour-focused system is the amount of specific feedback that can be given to each employee. Further, the focus on behaviour rather than traits does not only reduce employee defensiveness but reduces legal problems (Kingstrom Bass, 1981). From a legal perspective, courts are more interested in the due process afforded by a performance appraisal system that in its technical aspects. After reviewing 295 circuit court decision regarding performance appraisal, Werner Bolino (1997) concluded that performance appraisal systems are most likely to survive a legal challenge if they are based on job analysis, if raters receive training and written instructions, if employees are allowed to review results, and if ratings from multiple raters are consistent. Following the performance appraisal process is performance feedback. In organizational parlance, this is frequently referred to as performance discussions. Perhaps the most important use of performance evaluation data is to provide feedback to the employee and assess his or her strengths and weaknesses so that further training can be implemented. Although this feedback and training should be an ongoing process, the semi-annual evaluation might be the best time to formally discuss employee performance. Furthermore, holding a formal review interview places the organization on better legal ground in the event of a lawsuit (Field Holley, 1982). Normally, in most organizations a supervisor spends a few minutes with employees every six months to tell them about the scores they received during the most recent performance evaluation period. This process is probably the norm because most managers do not like to judge others; because of this dislike, they try to complete the evaluation process as quickly as possible (Field Holley, 1982).   Furthermore, seldom does evaluating employees benefit the supervisor. The best scenario is to hear no complaints, and the worst scenario is a lawsuit. In fact, one study demonstrated that dissatisfaction and a decrease in organizational commitment occurs even when an employee receives an evaluation that is â€Å"satisfactory† but not outstanding (Pearce Porter, 1986). Finally, in the â€Å"tell and sell† approach to performance appraisal interviews, a supervisor â€Å"tells† an employee everything she has done poorly and then â€Å"sells† her on the ways in which she can improve. This method, however, accomplishes little. There are certain techniques that will make the performance appraisal interview more effective, and these are discussed in the following sections. Both the supervisor and the employee must have time to prepare for the review interview. Both should be allowed at least 1 hour to prepare before an interview and at least 1 hour before the interview itself (Pearce Porter, 1986). The interview location should be a neutral place that ensures privacy and allows the supervisor and the employee to face one another without a desk between them as a communication barrier (Rhoads, 1997). Performance appraisal review interviews should be scheduled at least once every 6 months for most employees and more often for new employees. Review interviews are commonly scheduled 6 months after an employee begins working for the organization. It is important to note that while formal performance review interviews occur only twice a year, informal â€Å"progress checks† should be held throughout the year to provide feedback (Rhoads, 1997). While preparing for the interview, the supervisor should review the ratings she has assigned to the employee and the reasons for those ratings. This step is important because the quality of feedback given to employees will affect their satisfaction with the entire performance appraisal process (King, 1984). Meanwhile the employee should rate her own performance, using the same format as the supervisor. The employee also should write down specific reasons and examples that support the ratings she gives herself (King, 1984). At the outset of the interview, the supervisor should communicate the following: 1) the role of the performance appraisal – that making decisions about salary increases and terminations is not its sole purpose; 2) how the performance appraisal was conducted; and 3) how the evaluation process was accomplished. It is advisable that the supervisor also communicate her own feelings about the performance appraisal process (Kelly, 1984). The review process is probably best begun with the employee communicating her own ratings and her justification for those ratings. Research indicates that employees who are actively involved in the interview from the start will be more satisfied with the results. The supervisor then communicates his ratings and his reasons for them (King, 1984). At the conclusion of the interview, goals should be mutually set for future performance and behaviour, and both supervisor and employee should understand how these goals are met (Cederbloom, 1982). In summary, a performance management system encompasses the phases of performance planning, performance monitoring, performance feedback, and performance development. In performance planning, the goal of the superior is to ensure that all objectives, key performance indicators, and even resources for performance delivery are clear and understood. In performance monitoring, the supervisor aims to keep track of whether the employee is delivering in accordance with expectations. This is done through communication and progress tracking. The performance appraisal exercise is only one practice subsumed in this whole system, particularly under performance feedback giving. Finally, in the performance development phase, performance gaps are addressed through coaching, classsroom training, and other individual development initiatives. b.Discuss the advantages of managing turnover in organizations. Turnover has been linked with affective and continuance commitment. Each of the three distinct dimensions to organizational commitment: affective, continuance and normative commitment are defined (Meyer and Allen, 1997). 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Affective commitment – means an employee’s personal attachment and identification to the organization.   This results in a strong belief in an acceptance of the organization’s goals and values.   â€Å"Employees with a strong affective commitment continue employment with the organization because they want to do so† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) 2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Continuance commitment – is a tendency to engage in consistent lines of activity based on the individual’s recognition of the â€Å"costs† associated with discontinuing the activity.  Ã‚   â€Å"Employees whose primary link to the organization is based on continuance commitment remain because they need to do so.† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Normative commitment – provides that employees exhibit behaviours solely because they believe it is the right and moral thing to do. â€Å"Employees with a high level of normative commitment feel that they ought to remain with the organization.† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) In their findings, Parà © and Tremblay provide that affective commitment and continuance commitment are negatively related to turnover intentions (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 6).   In addition to these two distinct types of commitment affecting turnover intention, their studies also points to the factor they call Organizational Citizenship Behaviour or OCB.   OCB is considered as a key element in organizational effectiveness.   OCB is defined as â€Å"an employee’s willingness to go above and beyond the prescribed roles which they have been assigned† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 6, quoting from Organ 1990). Based on Parà © and Tremblay’s findings, the stronger the citizenship behaviour, the more likely they are to stay in their company.   In effect, those with high turnover intentions are not as committed as those who intend to stay long with the company. The Job Characteristics Model of Hackman and Oldham (1980) show that the job characteristics of skill variety, task identity, task significance, task autonomy, and feedback   are likewise linked to management of turnover. The five core job characteristics are in continuous interaction with individual differences that evoke three critical psychological states in an employee.   These three states are: 1) when the job is structured by skill variety, task identity and task significance this could lead employees to experience meaningfulness in their work. 2) The second state, task autonomy, which leads to feelings of responsibility for the outcomes of work. 3) The third and last state is feedback, which leads employees towards knowledge of the results of their work (Douthit 2000; Huber 2000). These three critical psychological states lead to a set of affective and personal outcomes:   high internal work motivation, high growth satisfaction, high general satisfaction, high work effectiveness, and low rate of absenteeism (Mohamed 2004; Donovan and Radosevich, 1998). These affective and personal outcomes are the results of en employee’s job characteristics.   They are defined as follows: High internal work motivation – this is the degree to which an employee is willing to work and to consider the organizational objectives as part of his or her own goals (Mohamed, 2004). High growth satisfaction – this is the achievement of the employee in overcoming challenges, succeeding and growing (Steers Black, 1994) High general satisfaction – this the feeling derived from the overall satisfaction with the work itself. â€Å"This type of satisfaction is reflected mainly in decreased rates of absenteeism among employees† (Steers Black, 1994). High work effectiveness – this refers to both the quality and quantity aspects of work performance (Hackman Oldham, 1980). Low rate of absenteeism. In other words, in managing retention and in effect managing these characteristics of the job, the organization shall have more motivated, more satisfied, more effective employees (Hackman Oldham, 1980). c.Examine contemporary safety and health management issues in the workplace. Workplace Safety: Information (2007) defines workplace safety as an environment encompassing all the factors that may have impact on the welfare of the employees in terms of safety working conditions and the health of laborers. Aspects that are given priorities are the hazards found in the surroundings, workplace areas, conditions and workplace process flowcharts. Other issues among employees regarding grooming, drug and alcohol abuse, absenteeism, horseplay and tardiness, violence and work output submissions are also covered. If there is one organization monitoring the activities of the safety in the workplace, it is the Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA). OSHA is focusing on three goals as its cornerstones in regulating safety practices in organizations. First, it improves the safety and health of the workers, from the top management to the bottom, to make sure that there would be less accidents, hazards, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities that will occur in the companies. Second, it operates by making changes in the workplace culture to heighten the awareness of both the employer and its workers in committing its involvement in the health and safety of the company populace. Third, it assures the security of public confidence in maintaining the delivery of OSHA’s programs and services. Looking at the federal guidelines, OSHA’s proposed programs are less tough and are user-friendly for different companies (Guastello, 1993). However, a common query among organizations is that the benefits of behaviour modification programs, such as incentives may not have lasting effects or may diminish over time (Guastello, 1993). Many agree that safety programs using incentives can be found in an existing and well-rounded comprehensive safety program. Based on OSHA, there are four elements of an effective safety and health program such as management commitment and employee involvement; worksite analysis; hazard prevention and control; and safety and health training. In all these elements of incentive programs employees’ participation can be recognised.   First, a number of employees can be heads of safety committees, worksite analyses, accident investigations and safety suggestions. Second, by assigning among them a supervisor hazard prevention and control may be strengthened since peers will follow anti-hazard rules in their workspace.Third, employees can be seen in the active attendance and participation in safety meetings through quizzes, interactive role-playing and roundtable discussions. Giving the employees the chance to participate and be recognised in effective safety programs, they would feel that it is a privilege to be part of the core group of safety culture in the family. At the same time the myriad of manuals and guidelines provided discussing safety workplace incentives will still be very useful in keeping the employees aware of the controls and measures that the company is undertaking for the welfare of the workers in general (Walker, 2007). Reduction in the number of accidents has been shown to be possible with the strict implementation of workplace behaviour modifications (Lund Aaro, 2004). Using safety incentives is just one of the ends to the ways of improving population’s safety behaviours. By introducing a safety culture scheme in the organization, individual and group motivational factors for safe behaviour, risk justification, and optimism in workplace are deemed to show great improvement (Williamson et al., 1997). In one way or another, these factors are crucial and are influenced by the reward system such as incentives by recognising the individuals who are putting their best efforts to their work and doing their jobs in a safe manner. Safety incentive programs generally have two categories: (1) injury/illness-based incentive programs and (2) behaviour-based incentive programs (Hinze, 2002). Injury/illness-based incentive programs are based on the number of times that an illness or injury is incurred and such occurrence will be the criterion in rewarding workers and crew members. The programs go along with the assumption that: (1) facilities and equipment used are in good condition and do not cause any accidents; (2) employees are given proper training and work knowledge in administering the use of office equipment; and (3) accidents are usually the results of worker’s negligence or compromise on safety (Smith, 1997). Meanwhile, behaviour-based incentive programs observe the workers in such a way that their attitude towards work is assessed. Previous studies have identified the means of measuring worker’s behaviour as a means for recognising safety performance (Duff et al., 1993). Examples of activities of behaviour that can be rewarded are active participation in safety meetings and training sessions, ability to give sound suggestions about the improvement of safety in the jobsite, proper use of personal equipment and other behaviour avoiding accidents (Geller, 1996). d.Also, include a discussion of future trends and challenges in HR management. Since the theories, approaches and practices for Human Resource Management can be traced back to Frederick Taylor’s Scientific Management, trends can be expected. Some of the recent trends that are being observed are moonlighting, human resource outsourcing, and two of Charles Handy’s organizational models – Shamrock and Federal, respectively. Moonlighting is when an employee holds dual or multiple jobs at the same time. Many employees become moonlighters if they salary they get from their primary job is not enough. Moonlighting has its advantages too. It can reduce the rate of turnovers in industries where work is routinary and it can also be a means for a company to retain their employees. The downside of moonlighting is that the company risks losing confidential information to competitors. It can also lead to absenteeism due to exhaustion and burnout from both jobs (Tett Meyer, 1993). Outsourcing is one of the latest additions to the trends in human resource management. An organization seeks out sub contractual employees for either product design or manufacturing from a third-party organization at a lower cost. Outsourcing is good for small to medium-sized organizations that are growth oriented since it can provide the owners free time to focus on developing strategies to gain competitive edge (Ulrich, 1997). It can also help transform the business by increasing the flexibility of the organization to meet the changing conditions, demands for products and services and technologies. It also makes the experts available for you. By outsourcing experts, you are able to improve your risk management and control over the business. Your credibility can also be improved since you do have the best in the field working for you. You also gain a network by associating your organization to the provider. Charles Handy’s organizational models are being practiced by enterprises depending on the nature of their industry (Armstrong, 2003). With these models, organizations can be flexible with their organizational structure in order to ensure their competitive edge. The Shamrock model or clover model consist of three main levels that represent a different type of organizational objectives: the core, the contractual fringe, and the flexible workforce. The core is basically the thinking part of the model. They are the ones that possess the most knowledge about the field and are the most paid. The contractual fringe is the part of the model that provides materials and service inputs to the core. The flexible workforce is responsible for the workload itself. Though these three workforces or parts need to be managed separately and differently, the organization has three different parts with varying responsibilities and expectations and yet work to achieve the same goal. In the Federal model, power is distributed and it is about building high commitment, professional organizations. The federal is a bit complex. It is decentralized but at the same time centralized when the situations calls for it. It is a system of small core organizations with much focused core competencies sustained by many resources available to them. It is also believed that in order to improve productivity a strong social agreement between the organization and the union and a good social welfare system is a must. Although more and more trends come to pass to keep up with the changes, more and more conflicting issues arise too. Selecting who to hire is becoming a more complex task. Training and developments are hard to keep up with since more technological improvements are made and competition is getting stiffer by the minute. Maintaining current employees is proving to be one of the top human resource managers’ problems, since more organizations try to outdo each other in regards to the compensation and benefits they offer to their would-be and existing employees. Diversity within the workplace is posing to be a relevant issue for the human resource department (Chen, 2007). Motivation and loyalty of employees is a perennial contemporary issue for the human resource manager. Mergers, acquisition, turnovers, and consolidation happen more often, and throughout all these, strategic human resource management is necessary to ensure continued delivery of objectives amidst turbulent change. 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