Escaping Embarrassment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Escaping Embarrassment - Essay Example example of free style rappers who dread any instance of stopping abruptly in their rapping, and have devised techniques through which they can prevent â€Å"falling off,† mostly by sharing a platform and taking turns to rap, which helps in saving face, and brings out a stronger personality in street music. This implies fluent communication directly affects the image of an individual to the audience. Sawyer (1) noted that casual conversation portray creativity as it is directionless and is not scripted. With scripting, one has to remember each detail of the work to be communicated to ensure free flow of such information, however in causal communication the speaker is at liberty to include anything they feel comfortable and fluent in to ensure free flow of information to the audience. This contributes to creativity as individuals think out of the box to include materials that would keep the audience entertained, and portray eloquence in communicating. Moreover, such communication is naturally collaborative, meaning that it is uniquely creative as an individual discovers unexpected and valuable ideas from the audience, and from creative thinking, which make the audience entertained (Sawyer, 71). Eloquence and creativity in communication bring about an image of a strong communicator. Goffman (3) asserts that expressions involve two distinct sign activities. The most important expression involves a range of actions that are symbolic, and which define the actor. These symbolic actions are what define the eloquence of the communicator and include the body language, confidence, and public addressing skills. The nonverbal, unintentional type of communication whether deliberately engineered or unintentional defines the image of the individual as an eloquent and experienced communicator (Goffman, 4), which amounts to define the image of the individual. As Lee (307) asserts, people will derive numerous techniques to save face. However, if an individual is at risk of

The Euro Currency And European Union Economics Essay

The Euro Currency And European Union Economics Essay The Euro Currency has been a resounding success and is poised to replace the Dollar as the strongest currency in the world. The potential long-term advantages for business make it inevitable that the UK, Sweden Denmark will have to adopt the European Single Currency shortly or risk damaging their long-term prosperity by staying out Introduction European Union mission in the 21st century is to: Europes provide peace, prosperity and stability for its peoples; overcome the divisions on the continent; ensure that its people can live in safety; promote balanced economic and social development; meet the challenges of globalisation and preserve the diversity of the peoples of Europe; uphold the values that Europeans share, such as sustainable development and a sound environment, respect for human rights and the social market economy. PEST Chart Joining European Union Political Prevent war Government will lose its sovereignty and control over its monetary policies. Forming up as one big economy allows Europe to be competitive with other strong economies such as US, China Japan. Economical Bring down trade barriers Economy will be stable due to long term increase in trade Inflation and interest rates can be unified controlled. But inability to control any undesired inflation rate. Increase of employment and labor supply. Bring down Labor costs. Will be able to improve on employment issues, provide job trade opportunities Will increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Social Lost of national Sovereignty will cause unhappiness among the citizens affected. Majority of the people still do not agree on their country joining in the European Union (EU) EU stresses on the point of social responsibility towards Resource Conservation Technological Sharing of emerging technologies information. Combined effort/project of research and development activity for European economy Impact of technology transfer. If United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden were to join the European Single Currencyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The Economic Political advantages for businesses based in these countries Advantages (http://www.economicshelp.org/europe/benefits-euro.html) 1. Transaction costs will be eliminated This will greatly benefit businesses who trade and tourists within the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) area, as there will be no charge for changing of currency, thus boosting the economy. It is estimated that this benefit will be equal to 1% of GDP so will be quite significant. 2. Price transparency European Union (EU) companies often find it difficult to accurately compare the prices of goods, services and resources across the EU because of the distorting effects of exchange rate differences. So when price is transparent, trading starts to take place. 3. No more exchange rate fluctuations. Uncertainty eliminated. Due to the fluctuating currencies in the EU, many firms become wary when investing in other countries because of the uncertainty. Investment would rise in the EMU area as the currency is universal within the area, therefore the anxiety that was previously apparent is there no more. 4. Single currency in single market. It brings the Europes economy forward after trading has taken place more effectively and efficiently 5. Be able to contend with the American Dollar and Japanese Yen. A new currency in Europe could be a rival to the two currencies, as it seems EMU seems to be in a good situation that it can survive on its own, with or without the help of Japan and U.S.A. 6. Prevent war. When countries unite trade effectively together, they dont wage war on each other and if EMU have more undisrupted trade, then there will be peace for Europe too. 7. Increased Trade and reduced costs for businesses Proponents of the move argue that it brings considerable economic trade through the wiping out of exchange rate fluctuations, but as well as this it helps to lower costs to industry because companies will not have to buy foreign exchange for use within the EU. For them, EU represents the completion of the Single European Market. It is vital if Europe is to compete with the other large trading blocs of the Far East and North America. 8. Inflation The European Central Bank (ECB) which sets interest rates for the whole EMU area will be committed to keeping inflation low; countries with traditionally high inflation will benefit from this. However, this point is debatable as countries outside the EMU have maintained low inflation. 9. The Political agenda. There is also a political agenda to European bank (the European System of Central Banks -ESCB), the removal national control over policy. Individual nation states will lose sovereignty (i.e. the ability to control their own affairs). It will pave the road to move towards ONE economical union. Disadvantages (http://www.economicshelp.org/europe/costs-euro.html) Cost of replacing currencys and adjusting machines. (This is however a one off cost) 2. Loss of autonomy over economic policy. Loss of Sovereignty. By adopting a common interest rate for the EMU area, countries will lose a crucial part of their Monetary policy. Politically, an independent central bank is often argued to be undemocratic in this setting (A Cukierman, 1994). Although countries are heading towards ONE economic union in Europe but they are definitely not, with regards to political terms. 3. Countries economy are at a different stage in the business cycle. This will be a huge problem, for instance in 2005, Ireland and Spain were growing quite fast and need higher interest rates to control inflation than other countries who need lower interest rates. Therefore with low interest rate Ireland might experience inflation. On the other hand, in 2009, Ireland and Spain were experiencing a deeper recession than the rest of the EMU area. They needed lower interest rates and depreciation, while other countries did not require to. 4. The instability of the system In 1992, UK benefited from leaving the ERM in order to have lower interest rates and come out of recession. This showed that countries economies may not have converged and a single policy could be harmful. As Greece is heavily in debt and had caused EU to be affected, so it seems wise for UK, Sweden Denmark not to join at the moment 5. Government could not devalue the Euro to overcome balance of payments problems. Countries will lose some independence over Fiscal Policy. This is because of the growth and stability pact.( e.g. no country is allowed to borrow more than 3% of its GDP. Which means that they will have to try and maintain the economy at a similar stage to other countries. E.G. Ireland had high growth and was criticised for increasing spending, (which increases AS), Asymmetric Shocks. If one country experienced an external shock it might need a different response. But this is not possible with a common currency. E.g. In order to reduce inflation, German reunification required higher interest rates, but this was not in favor for many other EU countries. 6. Monetary Policy will have different effects in different countries. For example the UK is sensitive to changes in the interest rate because many people have mortgages. And their terms conditions differ from other countries. 7. The EURO has been quite unstable against the dollar Whilst Sterling has been quite stable. Joining the EU could therefore increase instability against over currencies 8. The ECB is less transparent in their decision making For example they do not produce monthly minutes, this makes interest rate changes less predictable and so countries may not be able to do their economy forecast. FIVE ECONOMIC TESTS AS PRECONDITIONS Set out by Chancellor of Exchequer in Oct 1997 Used to decide for UK on the membership of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) To adopt Euro currency and interest rate set by European Central Bank (ECB) Build on 4 key areas Benefit: trade, transparency and stability Constitutional issues: in nation interest, popular consent, clear and unambiguous Clear and unambiguous: Treasurys comprehensive and rigorous assessment Referendum: agreed by British people Five Economic Tests Are business cycles and economic structures compatible so that we and others could live comfortably with euro interest rates on a permanent basis? If problems emerge is there sufficient flexibility to deal with them? Would joining EMU create better conditions for firms making long-term decisions to invest in Britain? What impact would entry into EMU have on the competitive position of the UKs financial services industry, particularly the Citys wholesale markets? In summary, will joining EMU promote higher growth, stability and a lasting increase in jobs? UK Responses in 2003 assessment Significant progress on convergence, but the convergence test not met as there are still structural differences with the euro area, such as in the housing market. Therefore, UK are not confident of its business cycles being sufficient compatible with those of the euro area to allow the UK to live comfortably with euro area interest rates on a permanent basis. Flexibility has shown improvement for UK, but is still not confident that it is sufficient. Greater measures are been set out to meet the EMU requirement. UK agrees that joining EMU could potentially lower the cost for their companies which boost cross-border investment flows and foreign direct investment (FDI). On the other hand, it is also mentioned that if sustainable and durable convergence is achieved, only then can UK be confident that the investment test is met. UK agreed that entry EMU can enhance on the competitiveness of the companies while offering some other benefit and the financial services test is met Increase in jobs and lower cost of living can be achieved through increases in cross-border trade, investment, competition and productivity that EMU could provide. But again, it only sustainable and durable convergence has been achieved then can UK be confident to say that growth, stability and employment test is met. Overall, UK mentioned that improvement has been seen but it is still not ready the membership of EMU despite the risks and costs in the delay. According to Stathis Gould (2003) article, The test seem like a deliberate fudge and political excuse for UK to delay joining the single currency Loss of control such as interest rate to ECB EU Membership impose constraint on fiscal policy Joining euro could post threat as UKs record of foreign capital recipient is among the best mainly due to relatively light regulation Problem with the volatility of euro-dollar which is not tackle by ECB Factor that might really affect the join will be to reform or better leadership in ECB which is criticized for lack of transparency Another factor will be the increase in competitiveness and opening of labor, product and capital market According to James Igoe Walsh (2007) study, Britains economic cycle not synchronized with euro-zone and bringing Adopting single currency will harm foreign trade and investment Close look into the five excuses for Britains reluctance Divergent business cycles Convergence concern of losing the ability they now have to tailor monetary policy Not really the case inflation rates have essentially disappeared, as the two economies adopted the same interest rates and monetary integration promote business cycle convergence through greater trade and investment International trade and investment British invested more with North America and former colonies in the past, but it is not true now as many firms are also heavily invested in European Union. Joining the union benefits the large and growing number of firms and investors that trade with and invest in the rest of the Union. Overall, UK does have the capability to be in the EMU and by being in the euro member, it can really boost the economy of both their nation and other members Has been seen as delaying the membership deliberately Pressure for corporate in UK might also be another factor that influences their decision Furthermore, with recent issue of Greece, Portugal, and Spain which expose the flaws in Euro Single Currency, it will be even harder to convince UK entry SUCCESSFULNESS OF EURO SINGLE CURRENCY Main Benefits Lower cost of managing cash and raising capital Eliminate cost on converting currency from one country to another Broader, deeper and more efficient financial market result in further reduction in cost and access to a bigger capital pool Less currency risk Currency risk and the need to protect own business transactions are eliminated or reduced Simplify investment planning Bigger market Companies will compete in a larger and more integrated market Population adds up from the member countries to form bigger market Consumers are more readily to buy across border in euro-zone with no worry of different currencies and exchange-rate Over the years of Single Currency With information from Wim F.V Vanthoor (2000) study, Has high potential in it growth Created a market population bigger than US when group together Generated high share of world GDP (Gross Domestic Product) Created even higher world trade than that of US Compatible monetary value comparing with US with the aim as to compete with US dollar Aim not only Economically, but aims at going towards a political union In Martin Feldstein (2010) article, Crisis in Greece and the debt problems in Spain and Portugal exposed more flaws Individual member countries lost control of monetary policy and interest rates in order to respond to national economic conditions Exchange rate could not respond to the cumulative effects of differences in productivity and global demand trends. Weakens the market signals of fiscal deficits Eg. Greece ECB set monetary policy to the euro-zone as a whole even when it is not relevant to some members Despite all the problem, euro will likely still survive but the fundamental root problem might still remains Introduction of euro imply low interest rate to Greece and some other countries which previously has high rate, resulting in temptation for government to borrow. This drives the ratio of government debt to GDP to more than 100% for Greece and Italy. Until recently, bond markets treated all euro sovereign debts as virtually equal, not raising interest rates on high-debt countries until possibility of default became clear. Euro comparing with other currency Against US Dollar Euro shows it weaken and flaw especially with recent crisis As compared with US dollar which also operate on single currency with its fifty states, its lacks in 3 economic condition Labor mobility Labor in US move on to another area easily when one industry weaken in a certain part of the country Wherelse unemployed workers of euro member such as Greece, Portugal, and Spain do not move to faster-growing regions of Europe because of differences in language, history, religion, union membership, etc. Wage flexibility Substantially slower wage growth in the states that lost industries helped to attract and retain other industries Central fiscal authority fiscal system collects roughly two-thirds of all taxes at the national level, which can be transfer to the different states if it is falling short in income Euro comparing with other currency Against UK Sterling Pound Pound Sterling has become vastly more stable in the past decade and grown in stature as a reserve currency around the world Ironically it has benefited from being outside the Euro By not joining EMU, UK have retain their level of sovereignty and has better control and decision on solution to tackle their own economy Conclusion It seems that UK, Sweden and Denmark is going to stay out of the Euro zone for a while as mentioned by Vinocur N. (March 2010) Removing currency risk and driving integration with the European single market have been the main arguments that have put forward for the three nations to join the euro. But with Greece financial issues, with Ireland, Spain Portugal following suit, it made Euro Investec UK economist David Page mentioned that there is no chance that UK is joining the EU in the next 10 years. Conservative opposition front-runner David Cameron has declared that if he wins a general election expected in May, Britain will not join the euro as long as he is prime minister. Even though In year 2008, Sweden released a poll. It showed support for joining the euro had increased rapidly, with 44% of Swedes now in favour of joining the currency, up from 34.6% in May, while opposition dropped from 51.7% to 48% during the same period. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/nov/27/euro-currencies-sweden-denmark) in March 2010 as reported by Nicholas Vinocur on Reuters: Swedens finance minister Anders Borg mentioned that. How well it is going in one country decides how well run the whole is, whether or not one has adopted the euro. Denmark is skeptical on joining the Euro. Danske Bank chief economist Steen Bocian, remains cautious for the next two years, due to Greece incident.

Pushing Products through Advertising: Camera Advertising Essay

There are many ads for different products these days on market. A product needs a good ad to attract many people and make good competition. Advertising has become part of producers’ life to win consumers hearts. All cameras serve the same purpose â€Å"to make memories memorable† or it is dead. There are different types of approaches camera advertisers use to attract the buyer to the product. Companies like Canon and Nikon use techniques such as glittering generalities, testimonial, need for affiliation and aesthetic sensation as propaganda methods to attract their buyers. Maria Sharapova ranked number one player in the women professional tennis in the world, is used in a Canon commercial. This propaganda approach known as testimonial, Maria hits several tennis balls with her power shot which stick in the net to form â€Å"Maria was here†. In this commercial consumers are told that if they use a Canon power shot digital camera, they make powerful statements. Therefore, most buyers are attracted to this product because of they want to be more like her, a talented, beautiful, sports celebrity. ...

The Red Badge of Courage

Growing up during the naturalism and realism literary movements, and experiencing combat in Cuba and Greece first hand influenced Stephen Crane's outlook in his novel The Red Badge of Courage that no matter what it takes, all living things will do whatever they can to save themselves, and that the world continues to spin regardless of human existence. The literary movements that influenced his writing the most were naturalism and realism. Naturalism uses detailed realism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and environment have an inescapable force in shaping human nature. Crane uses this several times in The Red Badge of Courage. After Henry runs away from battle and is in the midst of rationalizing his behavior, he comes across a particularly tranquil spot in the woods: â€Å"At length he reached a place where the high, arching boughs made a chapel. He softly pushed the green doors aside and entered. Pine needles were a gentle brown carpet. There was a religious half-light† (7. 18). He notices â€Å"A dead man [with] eyes [†¦] changed to the dull hue to be seen on the side of a dead fish† (7. 20). This is where Henry comes to realize that nature and the universe have no interest in this dead man, nor do they have an interest in whether Henry himself lives or dies. There is simply nothing out there to help or save him or anyone else. This is a shocking lesson for him, and one that shatters his notions of the way things work. This is also Crane’s way of introducing the philosophy of â€Å"Naturalism† into the novel. Naturalists were influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution, which places a strong emphasis on evolution. Literary Naturalists reject the notion of free will and see humans as controlled primarily by instinct, emotion, and culture. This idea makes Henry’s behavior more random and explainable, rather than a growth toward maturity, or a rise toward heroism, through his exertion of free choice and decision. As he is faced with even more death, he finds that the termination of life is an inevitable part of life: â€Å"He had been to touch the great death, and found that, after all, it was but the great death† (24. 1). Henry realizes that no matter the amount of bravery or courage, the world has created the same fate for all those who live, they all must die. Crane implies this through images of nature’s beauty contrasted with man’s bloody brutality, and he exploits this paradox many times throughout the novel. Since Crane was a big believer in Naturalism, he wanted to show that death should not be romanticized, but should be looked at straight on in as dispassionate and scientific a way as possible. The vulnerabilities of dead men make death seem like a very real physical phenomenon, rather than the journey of one’s spirit to either heaven or hell. Henry, too, is affected by viewing the dead. He sees that the dead do not know more than he does, and that they do not experience anything paranormal. He also realizes that he could just as easily be among them — that dying is as random and meaningless as war, or anything else. The second literary movement that influenced Crane’s writing is realism. Realism is a term that can refer to any work that aims at honest portrayal over sensationalism, exaggeration, or melodrama. The Red Badge of Courage displays characteristics of Realism writing. Henry is a regular guy put into an extraordinary situation. Crane uses figurative language in the forms of imagery and dialect. Another realism trait in The Red Badge of Courage is that nature is viewed as protection and a hindrance for Henry in several different cases throughout the story. For example, Crane writes, â€Å"†¦ Another important event in Crane's lifetime that influenced him in writing The Red Badge of Courage is his firsthand experience when he entered combat in Cuba and Greece. Though he didn't actually enter combat until after his novel was written, his thirst to not just see a battle, but die in one, influenced his writing greatly. After finishing the novel, his hunger for the experience of war grew due to the fact that he wanted to see if his account of the Civil War was correct. Also, Crane's father was a minister, though they did not share the same beliefs, which is probably the reason Crane used so many Biblical references in his writing. For example, Crane wrote, â€Å"The red sun was pasted in the sky like a wafer†(9. 4). The wafer Crane is referring to is the wafer of communion. In the Christian sacrament of communion, believers eat the â€Å"body of Christ† through communion wafers and red wine. He does this to comment on the concept of men having to die in order to save other men, similar to Jesus dying on the cross to save humans from their sins. The chapter that deals with the death of Jim Conklin-his initials are J. C. , similar to Jesus Christ- promotes Jim as a sort of Christ-figure who through his painful death helps â€Å"redeem† Henry. Critical Analysis Critics such as Maxwell Geismer and Bernard Weismer point out how Crane uses themes of courage, nature’s disregard of human life, and manhood to show the development of a young man from youth to maturity. Although the novel spans no more than a few weeks, a profound change in the characters of both Henry and Wilson occurs. Though these men do not technically age during the course of the book, the psychological development that they experience can be described as the development from youth into maturity. Innocence gives way to experience, and the speculative beliefs of adolescents make way for the guaranteed, solid beliefs of men. In addition, James Trammell Cox shows how Crane uses symbols such as the dead soldier and the characters of Jim Conklin and Wilson to show the transitions man must experience both mentally and physically to complete the journey from adolescence to manhood. Because of the novel’s title, it becomes evident that courage,—defining it, desiring it, and, ultimately, achieving it—is the most significant part of the book. As the novel opens, Henry’s view of courage is traditional and romantic. He assumes that he will return from battle either with his shield or on it. This understanding of courage is based on the praise of peers more than the internal measure of his bravery. In the first chapter, Henry recollects his mother’s advice, which opposes his own philosophies. She doesn’t care about the praiseworthiness of Henry’s name, but instructs him to do what he thinks is honest and right, even if he has to die doing it. The gap between Henry’s definition of courage and his mother’s suggestion fluctuates throughout The Red Badge of Courage, sometimes dwindling, and sometimes flourishing. At the end of the novel, as the mature Henry trudges triumphantly from battle, a more refined and multifaceted understanding of courage arises. It is not purely based on other people’s perceptions, but it does integrate a soldier’s regard for his reputation. Another theme express throughout the novel is the universe’s disregard for human nature. Henry’s newly found awareness that the natural world spins on irrespective of the routine in which men live and die is the toughest lesson that Henry learns. It deprives him of his naive, innocent beliefs concerning courage and manhood. Not long after his encounter with the squirrel in the woods, Henry stumbles upon a dead soldier whose decaying body works as a reminder of the universe’s disregard of human life. As the drama of the war continues on around him, Henry occupies his mind with questions regarding the nature of courage and honor and the likelihoods of gaining glory. Death, he assumes, would stop the war cold. Yet, when he encounters the corpse, he finds that death is nothing more than a vital and ordinary part of life. Henry’s happenstances with the squirrel and the corpse become the most important parts of the book, because in this place, Crane creates the formidable opposing forces in Henry’s mind: the belief that human’s deserves courage and honor, and the realization that all human life faces the same inevitable doom. Throughout the novel, Henry struggles to save his manhood. At first, he relies on very passe ideas. He is saddened that education and religion have repressed men of their natural viciousness and made them so domestic that there are very few ways for a man to tell himself apart from others, other than on the battlefield. Having this chance makes Henry feel indebted to be taking part in the war. As he makes his way from one battle to the next, he becomes more and more persuaded that his experiences will gain him women’s praise and men’s envy, and he will become a real man in their eyes. These early ideas of manhood are crude, idealistic, youthful illusions. The dead soldier represents the unimportance of human trepidations. Henry stumbles over the corpse, decaying and covered by ants, right after convincing himself that he was right to flee battle and that the welfare of the army depends upon soldiers being wise enough to save themselves. Then the dead soldier, whose facelessness strips him of any public acknowledgement of courage and forces Henry to begin to question the standards by which he measures his actions. Similarly, characters such as Jim Conklin and Wilson undergo a change in which, they two realize that the completion of this transition lies within oneself. Jim Conklin and Wilson stand as symbols of a more human kind of manhood. They are confident without being show-offs and are eventually able to take responsibility for their shortcomings. Wilson, who begins the novel as an obnoxious and loud soldier, later reveals his vulnerability when he requests that Henry deliver a yellow envelope to his family if he dies in battle. In realizing the unimportance of his life, Wilson is able to free himself from the chains that bind Henry. By the end of the book, Henry takes a confident step in the same direction, learning that his manhood lies within the way he owns up to his mistakes and responsibilities rather than in his actions on the battlefield. Modern day Connection On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the â€Å"I Have a Dream Speech† at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C. His speech was a demonstration for freedom, in which he was fighting for the equality of colored people all around the world. This speech made history, but his story wasn’t over. At 6:01 p. m. on April 4, 1968, a shot rang out. Martin Luther King, a man of great courage, was assassinated for standing up for what he believed in. King hasn’t been the only demonstration of courage in history. Libyans are making history as we speak. Similar to Crane's using the Civil War to show how a young soldier struggles to define and achieve courage, recently, the Libyans rebelled against their government to get rid of the corruption that is taking over their country, and, hopefully, develop some sort of democracy and gain human rights. Libya has been ruled for 42 years by a shrewd, unconventional dictator who has often called his own people â€Å"backwards. † Fifty percent of his 6. 5 million subjects are minors. Although Libya contains many plentiful oil revenues, which provide most of the national budget, most children are starving and weak. Corruption is rampant, protestors are brutally suppressed, and many citizens are afraid that even speaking Quaddafi’s name in public will attract suspicion. Instead, they call him â€Å"the leader† and his son, Seif, â€Å"the principal. † Punishments are so extreme that even discussing national policy with a foreigner results in three years in prison. Reporters have commonly described press freedom in Libya as â€Å"virtually non-existent. † Unemployment rates are just about 30 percent, and those that do have jobs only work part-time. Basic foods—including rice, sugar, flour, gasoline—are heavily subsidized by the government and sold for a fraction of their true cost. A 2006 New Yorker article claimed that Libya had†prosperity without employment and large populations of young people without a sense of purpose. † Encouraged by pro-democracy rebellions across the Arab world, Libyan protestors had planned a â€Å"day of rage† for Thursday, February 17. Two days before their plan was able to be put into action, security forces arrested a prominent lawyer named Fathi Terbil, who had represented families of some of the prisoners slaughtered by Libyan security forces at Abu Slim prison in 1996. Once released from prison later that day, he set up a webcam overlooking Benghazi’s main square, where some of the families had been remonstrating. With help from exiled Libyans in Canada and around the world, the video spread rapidly on the Internet. Courage played a huge role in the development of this rebellion, and the fight for Libyans to build a democracy and gain human rights. It is reported that the Libyan ambassador in London resigned simply so he could join protests outside of the embassy and fight for the well-being of the Libyan people. Also, Egypt and Libya have both set up field hospitals on their borders and are trying to send help. A group of Libyan military officers have allowed the revealing of a statement calling on all members of the Libyan army to join the protesters. Advertisements in Guinea and Nigeria are offering up to $2,000 per day to fight as soldiers for the Libyan army. People across the world are teaming up and courageously taking a stand in order to achieve the freedom they are so desperately searching for.

The Business Of Water

Question1: The main stakeholders for Coca-Cola and Nestle would be the parties that would be mostly affected and at stake if the plant was to close down in the case of the passing of the law of closure due to negative effects on the environment. Firstly, the employees of the company and their families would be the most at stake, as they would lose their source of income. And in the case of Coca-Cola it might be that most of the village of Palchimada is working at that plant, hence this would affect the whole social environment in the village.On the other hand the villagers are also affected negatively as they are losing their water resources if Coca-Cola keeps operating. The second party at stake would be the suppliers of the company from boxes to ingredients and branding materials. Moreover, The shareholders of the company are affected as they would lose money, market share and return on investment, that would also give way for another stakeholder, which is the competition.Lastly, t he customers and clients of such companies are also affected, however, companies as such are very big and are able to supply almost anyone around the world, therefore clients are not primarily at stake. Question2: Carroll’s four-part model of corporate social responsibility suggests that CSR includes the economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic expectations placed on organizations by society at a given point of time. Under CSR pyramid, Nestle comes in the Ethical responsibility that is the third part of the pyramid.These responsibilities oblige the corporation to do what is right, just, and fair which Nestle perfectly abides with as the company never seemed to break any laws and was never involved in any unjust action. Regarding Nestle water plants, the company claims to be economically responsible by operating its plants in rural or remote areas, in the immediate vicinity of the water sources and in many cases, the company is an important economic base within the local co mmunity.i Generally, Nestle claims ethical responsibility. However, in this case it would prove the ethical responsibility if the company gave back to the community it operates in just like Coca-Cola did to prove that is an ethical company. On the top of the pyramid is Philanthropic responsibility, which Nestle seems to be executing very well. Nestle has created many programs to improve peoples lives. Such as, helping to address micronutrient deficiencies through a process called â€Å"nutritional landscaping†.In addition to many more, Nestle also offers a Plan that provides expert training so that farmers can grow coffee more sustainably, as well as practical assistance, including high-quality disease-resistant plantlets. ii Question 3: Citizenship is defined as a set of individual rights that are governed by the government. In some cases the failure of governments to fulfill their functions along with the rise in corporate power has led corporations to have a bigger role in society similar to the one of political actors. This is the case, which led to the privatization of water where municipal water companies have been inefficient.One of the governmental roles was by the US multinational company Bechtel in Bolivia, Which found it challenging to make the company operate efficiently. Hence, a law was passed giving the company monopoly rights over in the ridings they operated in, leading to no free water what so ever. This is a very weak performance on the side of the government and the corporation. Water is a human right, necessary for the survival of human kind and forbidding people to use the water from their wells and even the rain is a foolish and senseless act. The Business of Water Question1:The main stakeholders for Coca-Cola and Nestle would be the parties that would be mostly affected and at stake if the plant was to close down in the case of the passing of the law of closure due to negative effects on the environment. Firstly, the employees of the company and their families would be the most at stake, as they would lose their source of income. And in the case of Coca-Cola it might be that most of the village of Palchimada is working at that plant, hence this would affect the whole social environment in the village.On the other hand the villagers are also affected negatively as they are losing their water resources if Coca-Cola keeps operating. The second party at stake would be the suppliers of the company from boxes to ingredients and branding materials. Moreover, The shareholders of the company are affected as they would lose money, market share and return on investment, that would also give way for another stakeholder, which is the competition. Lastly, t he customers and clients of such companies are also affected, however, companies as such are very big and are able to supply almost anyone around the world, therefore clients are not primarily at stake.Question2:Carroll’s four-part model of corporate social responsibility suggests that CSR includes the economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic expectations placed on organizations by society at a given point of time. Under CSR pyramid, Nestle comes in the Ethical responsibility that is the third part of the pyramid. These responsibilities oblige the corporation to do what is right, just, and fair which Nestle perfectly abides with as the company never seemed to break any laws and was never involved in any unjust action.Regarding Nestle water plants, the company claims to be economically responsible by operating its plants in rural or remote areas, in the immediate vicinity of the water sources and in many cases, the company is an important economic base within the local comm unity.i Generally, Nestle claims ethical responsibility. However, in this case it would prove the ethical responsibility if the company gave back to the community it operates in just like Coca-Cola did to prove that is an ethical company. On the top  of the pyramid is Philanthropic responsibility, which Nestle seems to be executing very well.Nestle has created many programs to improve peoples lives. Such as, helping to address micronutrient deficiencies through a process called â€Å"nutritional landscaping†. In addition to many more, Nestle also offers a Plan that provides expert training so that farmers can grow coffee more sustainably, as well as practical assistance, including high-quality disease-resistant plantlets.iiQuestion 3:Citizenship is defined as a set of individual rights that are governed by the government. In some cases the failure of governments to fulfill their functions along with the rise in corporate power has led corporations to have a bigger role in s ociety similar to the one of political actors. This is the case, which led to the privatization of water where municipal water companies have been inefficient.One of the governmental roles was by the US multinational company Bechtel in Bolivia, Which found it challenging to make the company operate efficiently. Hence, a law was passed giving the company monopoly rights over in the ridings they operated in, leading to no free water what so ever. This is a very weak performance on the side of the government and the corporation. Water is a human right, necessary for the survival of human kind and forbidding people to use the water from their wells and even the rain is a foolish and senseless act.

How to Keep Your Business From Being Robbed

How to Keep Your Business From Being Robbed If you own a business, particularly one that deals in cash, there is a good chance that one day it may be robbed.  If you are lucky, the robbery will occur after the business is closed and all of your employees have gone home. If not, you, your employees and possibly your customers could be faced with a very dangerous situation. Safe Steps to Protect Your Business There are effective measures that business owners, managers, and employees can take that will protect the assets of the business and make it safer for employees.   Always have two or more employees open and close the business.Install an effective alarm system that is monitored.Use surveillance cameras behind the cash register and facing out to the front of the counter.Also, install surveillance cameras in areas where a person could hide.Keep the outside doors in backrooms locked when not in use.Have lockers or locked desks so employees can lock up any personal valuables, purses, or medications.Do not release personal information  about employees to strangers and shred all past employee records when trashing it.Keep a low cash balance in the cash registers.Make regular bank deposits of excess money or lock it in a safe.Vary the times and the routes used to go to the bank to make deposits.Avoid sending one person to the bank with a deposit.Avoid making deposits late at night.Do not carry the deposit openly in a deposit bag.Avoid hanging signs or putting displays on windows or around the sales counter that will obstruct the view of the register. In areas that are blocked by shelving, walls or other obstructions, hang concave mirrors. Do careful reference checks on employees that are hired.Have policies in place concerning employees friends or relatives hanging around the business.Customers should be greeted when they enter the business and train employees to make eye contact and engage with the customers. An alert staff can quickly deter a would-be robber.Train employees not to take risks, but to call the police if they see suspicious people inside or lurking outside of the business.If employees really suspect that they are about to be robbed, tell them to lock the doors of the business until police arrive.Keep your business well lit both inside and out and focus on areas where someone could hide.Trim trees and bushes so that they do not become hiding places for robbers by blocking light.Become friends with local police officers. Encourage them to stop by your business.If possible, use only one cash register at night. Leave the drawers on the other cash registers opened and tilt the money tray so that it will sho w that it is empty. Do not tempt robbers by balancing the cash register by the cash desk. Take it to a back office to count it.Train employees to be alert when handling money. It is easy to make a one dollar bill look like a twenty dollar bill to an employee that is not paying attention.Do not completely cover the windows of the business by closing blinds are pulling curtains at closing time. Always leave them only partially closed. What to Do If Your Business Is Robbed Always make personal safety the number one priority. Money and merchandise can be replaced. Train employees to comply with the robbers demands and to try to remain calm, move slowly, and communicate only when necessary. If employees are in other areas of the building, let the robber know so that they are not surprised by an employee who may come out of a backroom. When the robber leaves, employees should never follow after them, but instead lock the doors of the business, move to the back of the building and wait for the police to arrive. While they wait they can document what occurred, including the time the robbery took place, what was stolen and a description of the robber. It could be helpful that within a few days of the robbery, the employees who were present come for a meeting so that what happened can be discussed, emotions shared, and suggestions on what can be improved be accessed to help deter being robbed again.

Dhl Logistics Essay Example

Dhl Logistics Essay Example Dhl Logistics Essay Dhl Logistics Essay DHL Logbook in cooperation with Technical University Darmstadt Historical development of logistics The great logistics success story Logistics has been playing a fundamental role in global development for almost 5,000 years now. Since the construction of the pyramids in ancient Egypt, logistics has made remarkable strides. Time and again, brilliant logistics solutions have formed the basis for the transition to a new historical and economic era. Examples of this fundamental progress include the invention of the sea-cargo container and the creation of novel service systems during the 20th century. Both are integral parts of globalization today. Around 2700 B. C. : Material handling technology in pyramid construction. Blocks of stone weighing several tons were transported and assembled at the construction site. To build the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is 146 meters high and weighs 6 million tons, the Egyptians needed sophisticated material transport equipment capable of moving the massive building blocks and putting them into place. Even today, we still cannot fully explain how this level of precision was achieved using the hoisting equipment and means of transport available around 2700 B. C [1]. 1/7 DHL Logbook in cooperation with Technical University Darmstadt Around 300 B. C. : Revolutionary Greek rowing vessels – the new foundation of intercontinental trade. The revolutionary invention of rowing vessels created the basis for rapid travel across the high seas. This invention formed the foundation for the creation of enormous logistics supply systems required by mobile army camps. Using these logistics capacities, Alexander the Great undertook campaigns with his troops, their families and their weapons of war that extended all the way to India [1]. Around A. D. 700: Procurement logistics in the construction of the Mezquita Mosque – pillars came to Spain from all parts of the Islamic empire. Construction of the famous Mezquita Mosque in Cordoba, Spain, began in 756 under the Caliph of Cordoba in the Umayyad dynasty. It is considered to be the largest mosque in Europe. Extraordinary procurement logistics was required to transport the pillars of the mosque from all parts of the Islamic empire [1]. 2/7 DHL Logbook in cooperation with Technical University Darmstadt Around 1200: The international network known as the Hanseatic League – cooperation for transport bundling and international sea transport. In 1188, the city of Hamburg, Germany, was founded as a base on the North Sea for the Hanseatic League to make travel on the sea more secure and to represent business interests abroad. Up to 200,000 fur pelts were transported by a single Hanseatic cog ship. Hanseatic trade extended from the Black Sea to Reval. From a modern-day vantage point, the league’s cross-border trade bears strong similarities to the European Union [1]. Around 1500: Progressive postal service in Europe – the first time-definite mail shipping service. Under an agreement with Philipp of Burgundy, Franz von Taxis organized the first postal service with strictly defined transit times. Letters were delivered to places such as Paris, Ghent, Spain and the imperial court of Vienna. In view of the infrastructure of the times and the political fragmentation created by the array of small principalities, the mail reached its destination with very little delay [1]. 3/7 DHL Logbook in cooperation with Technical University Darmstadt Around 1800: Discovery of new road conveyances and the railroad – expansion of logistics tasks through new technologies and means of transport. The practical use of the steam engine, the invention of vehicles, railroads and ships as well as the discovery of crude oil ushered in a new economic era that generated new missions, tools and opportunities for logistics [1]. Around 1940: Military logistics during the world wars – transfer of military logistics concepts to the business world. During World War I, military logistics was the vital link in the network that supplied troops with rations, weapons and equipment. With the onset of World War II, logistics was further refined. As a result, logistics gained an important place in the business world as well. 4/7 DHL Logbook in cooperation with Technical University Darmstadt 1956: Invention of the sea container – structural evolution of world trade and the boom of international flows of goods. The invention of the sea container by the American Malcom P. McLean changed production conditions for nearly all industries around the world and, as a result, altered people’s consumption habits. Even today, the sea container continues to ensure that harbors gain major contracts, new countries and regions experience commercial booms, markets arise and products from all parts of the world can be bought and sold at reasonable prices. In this way, the container has significantly contributed to globalization. Around 1970 – 1980: Kanban and just-in-time – logistics concepts with a special emphasis on procurement. The Kanban and just-in-time (JIT) concepts were developed and introduced at Japan’s Toyota Motor Co. by Taiichi Ohno – with the objective of effectively linking logistics to other operational functions. Special emphasis was placed on procurement. 5/7 DHL Logbook in cooperation with Technical University Darmstadt Around 1990: QR and ECR technologies – logistics concepts with a special emphasis on distribution. The quick response and efficient consumer response (ECR) technologies were developed during the 1990s and applied by many retail and wholesale companies. These technologies had a major impact on logistics. As a result of this technology, distribution centers are tasked with moving goods instead of storing them. This allows companies to accelerate reaction times to market developments and to set up efficient goods-supply systems. Today: Supply chain management – a look at the entire logistics chain from the vendor’s supplier to the end customer. Supply chain management is a term that has grown enormously in use and significance since the late 1980s. Today, supply chain management is viewed as a holistic consideration of key business processes that extend from the vendor’s supplier to the end user. Accordingly, supply chain management is an extremely interactive, complex system requiring simultaneous monitoring of many conflicting objectives. 6/7 DHL Logbook in cooperation with Technical University Darmstadt Today: Advancing globalization – efficient logistics as a competitive edge in the era of globalization. Global competition began to arise and spread in the 1970s and accelerated in the 1990s. Globalization is still moving forward today. Efficient logistics creates a crucial competitive edge for companies that are expanding in global markets. Successful logistics efforts in international supply chains can fuel the development of global markets. From pyramid construction to the supply chain Recommended reading Logistik Stories | Gopfert / Froschmayer 2005 Strategic Logistics Management | Stock / Lambert 2001 References [1] Episoden des Logistik-Managements in Antike und Mittelalter | Dulfer 2005. In: Logistik Stories | Gopfert / Froschmayer (Hrsg. ) Related articles Trends in the economy as drivers of logistics development URL dhldiscoverlogistics. com/cms/en/course/origin/historical_development. jsp 7/7