Saturday, December 28, 2019

Digital Models Of Education The Education Of Young...

Flipped Classrooms Many students in the U.S lag behind among the 8 great nations in terms of math and science according to the National Center for Education Statistics Institute of Education. Based on effective research findings, National Center (2011) gives on making inter-country comparisons concerning the effectiveness of education through policies and other logistics. However, the concept is way beyond simple investigation in the education of young Americans. For this matter, the depth and approaches for evaluation should take a crucial path that is efficient in determining if a better pedagogical model could be effective as opposed to the traditional models of education. As such, the United States has to consider the adoption of new educational approaches and models with the aim of regaining its glory in the educational sector and world stage. From a close analysis of statistics, America long lost its educational standards and status to other nations whose policies and educational terrain appear polished. Supporting this reasoning, one could argue that economic challenges are pushing nations to invest much on education as a means of realizing solutions to the same economic woes. The implication is that other nations with better educational models have better opportunities for finding effective solutions more than the U.S. One significant question to pose could be the level of education of the future generations and the manner in which they could be able to compete atShow MoreRelatedThe Dumbest Generation : How The Digital Age1675 Words   |  7 PagesGeneration: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future by Mark Bauerlein Bauerlein, Mark. The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (or, Don’t Trust Anyone under 30). New York, NY: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2008. Print. The author of the book The Dumbest Generation is concerned over young Americans and what the digital age is doing to them. Throughout the book he cites many percentages of young Americans who are droppingRead MoreTechnology And Early Childhood Classroom1583 Words   |  7 Pagesto technology, it is a must, that early childhood educators do just that. In a world where technology is ever changing it is imperative that children are exposed as early as two years old so that they are not left at a disadvantage for the future. Young children must be exposed to technology early so they can explore its usage; it will help them become more interactive in their learning using hands-on technology; technology will help them become more aware of the environments outside of their localRead MoreReflection on the Integration of Technology in the Classroom Essay1255 Words   |  6 PagesThe following reflective essay will focus on technology and its importance in addressing the needs of digital le arners. The essay will begin by addressing ways reasons for the integration of technology in education, as well as discussing ways in which teachers can use technology to enhance learning and student engagement. Secondly, the essay will examine how teachers can become part of the learning process by empowering students to serve as knowledge brokers. The essay will close by assessing waysRead MoreFactors Affecting African American Persistence in the Sciences783 Words   |  3 PagesToday’s global market requires a growing investment in the fields of science education to remain competitive with other countries (Palmer, Davis and Moore 105). President Baraka Obama has pushed to increase the number of minorities represented in STEM. In the article Obama Pushes STEM in State of the Union, freelance writer for U.S. News Jason Koebler quotes the President’s State of the Union speech where he urges Americans to, â€Å"Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the worldRead MoreFrom Games to Reality or from Reality to Games?1120 Words   |  5 Pagesother more advanced knowledge preparations could begin (Oswalt, 2008). But with the face-pace enculturation of digital and technological engagement (using graphically stimulating toys and activities), this perspective is being questioned. Do toys learn to a better appreciation of reality for understanding, or does understanding the reality of technology prepare the next generation of digital natives to be ready for continuous learning (Prensky, 2001)? The studies on entertainment reading provideRead MoreThe Utilization Of Storytelling As A Pedagogical Strategy1689 Words   |  7 Pagesadopted at most libraries program with the spread of the U.S. public education system. Alder’s book titled ‘Moral Instruction of Children’ is considered as the first book which relates storytelling to education. It exhibits storytelling as an important method for children and it was adopted by 79% of public libraries. Later, storytelling saw a dramatic decrease because of the lack of money to support the public formal education and public library staff. However, although storytelling had a littleRead MoreEducation : An Important Aspect Of National Stability And Growth1602 Words   |  7 PagesPhilosophy of Education Justin Graves Athens State University Abstract The education provided to United States students in grades kindergarten-12 is a valuable aspect of national stability and growth. Without strong school systems that provide proper opportunities for students to grow intellectually, technically and socially, the future U.S. society will not have citizens prepared to help the nation grow economically, industrially and politically. Because education is the foundationRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Digital Technology829 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.† - John Dewey Digital technology has undeniably been integrated as a key module of modern society. From the ancient Stone Age to the Industrial Era of the 19th century to the invention of the television in 1927, humans have thought of ways to simplify tasks and ultimately, their lives. Now, in the 21st century, computers have been developing at incredible rates. Game-changing gadgets come out every year and at such affordableRead MoreCompetitive Behaviors And Practices, By Cathy Davidson, And Rent Seeking And The Making Of An Unequal Society Essay1658 Words   |  7 PagesEver since a young age, the youth of the United States are taught that they must strive to be the best they can be. This would ultimately result in one possessing a competitive edge, once one enters the selection process of joining one of many higher institutions of education or the job market. In the essays â€Å"Project Classroom Makeover,† â€Å"Biographies of Hegemony,† and â€Å"Rent Seeking and the Making of an Unequal Society,† respectfully by, Cathy Davidson, Karen Ho, and Joseph Stiglitz, the topic ofRead MoreInstruction On The Context Of Curriculum1544 Words   |  7 Pagesare sometimes referred to as a digital generation. These students have grown up with technology. In response, technology integration into classrooms is becoming more prevalent. This integration is having an effect on curriculum, students, and teachers. 3 In the United States, the federal government has dictated that students become literate in technology by 8th grade. Legislation in No Child Left Behind states in Part D, Enhancing Education Through Technology (sections 2401-2404)

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Did the Impact of the Beatles Sgt Pepper Album Help...

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band is first and foremost the album that gave rise to hopes of progress in pop music (The Times, 29 May 1967) Did the impact of the Beatles Sgt Pepper album help redefine popular music as a culturally significant art form? Summary of Assignment Choose an artist from the period 1900-1970 and to examine their relationship to the cultural and social framework of their era with reference to an important or influential album. Introduction In this essay I will be critically analysing and evaluating ‘The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers album in relation to their associated genre, their lyrics, their musical creativity, their social and political context, their overall impact on music and popular culture and†¦show more content†¦The contribution of George Martin (producer of Sgt Pepper) also played a major part in the success of Sgt Pepper, his knowledge of classical music training is also apparent throughout the album. This unique way of recording created a culturally significant album. They used innovative ideas in the studio some of which were being used for the first time in history on such a commercial level thus creating a genre very much their own. Using all the techniques in song writing and technology they have made a lasting impact on popular music. Their ideas have helped redefine pop music as a culturally significant art-form. Sgt. Pepper has influenced so many other artists to explore different styles and techniques in song writing and recording, it has opened new doors in to worldwide culture; bringing together a collective of worldwide music into a single album which has lead the way in defining popular music in our society. Jonathan Gould describes it as â€Å"a rich, sustained, and overflowing work of collaborative genius whose bold ambition and startling originality dramatically enlarged the possibilities and raised the expectations of what the experience of listening to popular music on record could be. (2008. Cant Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain and America. p.418). What made Sgt. Pepper so effective was its uniqueness which was driven by a

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Protective Value of Fear free essay sample

The Protective Value of Fear Have you ever watched something that happens on a screen, yet still it feels real? Imagine feeling scared out of your mind or pumped up by something that is not really happening. Images and sounds can make your heart rate increase, your palms wet, your muscles tighten, and the hair on your arms rise. How healthy can it really be? Suspension of disbelief is the phenomenon, which makes it possible to believe a premise you would never accept in the real world. This is a semi-conscious decision in which you put aside your disbelief and accept the premise as being real for the uration of the story (MediaCollege). This phenomenon creates a virtual experience built upon on fantasy and illusion, which is the central theme of our discussion. There are consequences in real life. If you commit a crime the most likely consequence is either Jail or a ticket. Furthermore, if you get caught cheating on a test you may be put on academic probation. However, if you have ever seen the Saw movies or played certain video games, which depict the murder of women and children and a general callousness towards the loss of life, you have probably noticed hat there are rarely repurcussions to these actions in games and movies. The horror novelist, Stephen King explains the appeal of watching scary movies and playing violent video games through the safety valve theory of catharsis. King assumes that all humans demonstrate cruel and aggressive impulses occasionally. In order for people to express and unleash these natural impulses in a controlled and safe environment, they engage in these types of entertainment, which enables them to forestall their needs to act it out in real life. King refers to it as the safety valve heory of catharsis, implying that there is a process of cleansing, which occurs when people allow themselves to utilize this outlet, thereby controlling urges that are deemed socially unacceptable. On the other hand, there is the theory of desensitization, which defies and challenges Kings safety valve theory of catharsis. Desensitization is a serious matter, which in this case refers to violent media content and can be compared to the building of tolerance in the face of addiction. When an addict consumes copious amounts of alcohol, they will subsequently need more of he substance to achieve the same effect. The same phenomenon is true of violent media and desensitization. Consuming a heavy diet of violent media is certain to affect people, who in turn will feel less provoked and shocked each time. As a consequence to experiencing the violence on a regular basis our reaction becomes less pronounced. Violence repeated, in the media, will draw people towards the ferocity of violence. If I took my grandfather, who was born in 1932, to watch a horror movie that was produced recently, Im certain that he would be shocked at the ontent in films these days. Since the day media was born we have witnessed one pattern, which is that boundaries have been pushed further and further. In Kings article, My Creature from the Black Lagoon, he describes how terribly frightening and appropriate his reaction was to the film. I was cynical when I recently viewed this movie, in part because it is possible to see the zipper running down the monsters back. I agree with Kings assertion that disbelief is not light and that perhaps my muscles ot imagination nave also grown wear as ne explains in his article. For example, a recent film, Paranormal Activity attempts to push the boundaries even further by implying that the storyline is based on true events. This and other recent films in the horror genre are proof that the desensitization theory may be very real as filmmakers attempt to move beyond thrillers into the realm of the supernatural. While desensitization may be a relevant concept, I believe that Kings safety valve theory of catharsis is correct because children do exhibit a natural capacity for sadness, fear and violence and it is within this comfort zone that emories are created. In an experiment college students were shown a violent film for several night in a row. The next day while taking a simple test, the research assistant treated them rudely. Apparently the students who had watched the violent movie choose a harsher punishment for the assistant, than the other students who had been watching nonviolent movies. Clearly media has a greater impact than we might realize. Even King indirectly admits that kids are vulnerable to such: In this sense, kids are the perfect audience for horror. The paradox is this: Children, who are hysically quite weak, lift the weight of unbelief with ease. King makes a good point, but because personalities vary, it is a risk you take when you expose your young child to such images even if you believe that they are able to process it better because of their expansive imagination. King explains that the purpose ofa good horror film is to knock the adult props out from under us and tumble us back down the slide into childhood. Therefore, King uses the safety valve theory of catharsis to propose that scary films serve a therapeutic purpose. King believes that fear is a natural, healthy phenomenon. He states, Children are literally afraid of their own shadows at the right time and place. However, King also points out that children are able to manage their fear and use their imagination in order to protect themselves from true dysfunction. King explains that children use selective forgetting which forms the basis of both nostalgia and childhood fears. Adults look back upon these childhood experiences with fond memories, even of the most fear inducing moments and desire hat lost feeling because they feel protected and threatened all at once. One example provided by King states that It is the parents, of course, who continue to underwrite the Disney procedure of release and rerelease, often discovering goosebumps on their own arms as they rediscover what terrified them as children. Therefore, the safety valve of catharsis theory provides that this is a safe way to experience fear and, in fact, positive memories ensue as adults. In conclusion, I believe that the theory of desensitization and the safety valve theory of catharsis are not mutually xclusive and one is not necessarily more correct than the other. However one enables us to understand how an individual processes stimuli that may be overly threatening or difficult to comprehend and another refers to how people may internalize stimuli, have a visceral reaction and thus crave more. T he safety valve theory of catharsis implies a measure of control, which I believe King agrees with wholeheartedly. He feels that even children, who may feel powerless in so many aspects of their life feel safe because they realize that they can let their imaginations un wild albeit in a safe way.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

The Controversy of False Memory Syndrome free essay sample

A major controversy is occurring in the mental health field regarding the different methods of therapy in order to retrieve suppressed memories from clients who are experiencing mental disorders. There is a large list of emotional mental disorders, to name a few can range from depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks and childhood trauma. The problem is in which method of recovered memory therapy is most effective and valid. Abstract False memory syndrome can be a factual memory created out of an experience that never existed. Depending on the memory it may be stored in a separate region of the brain. Memories that involve a traumatic incident like; (fear, anger, rejection, betrayal, childhood abuse) can become a suppressed memory stored in the area of the brain called the node. The importance of recalling an actual memory is critical in order to provide valuable treatment to the client. There are many regression therapies available but at the therapist’s discretion can choose hypnosis (not a reliable source), or Eye movement Desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). We will write a custom essay sample on The Controversy of False Memory Syndrome or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Studies have proven EMDR is a useful tool to help a person who is suffering from memories involved in a traumatic experience. Con: Psychologist induced suggestions An example of False Memory Syndrome (FMS) according Bonn (1997) Elizabeth Loftus is a well known professor of psychology is an expert on (FMS) and is well aware of the controversy problem that stems from trauma that was retrieved during early childhood, and has no doubt that abuse does occur. One of the concerns that professor Loftus has is with methods used to retrieve repressed memories from childhood trauma such as; â€Å"Memory Work† techniques used in role play, dream work, hypnosis, visualization group therapy and suggestion by a therapist. Con: Hypnosis As an example provided by (Martin Gardner 370) therapists may decide to use the method of hypnosis for a person who has suffered from childhood sexual trauma and has repressed memories will be urged repeatedly to remember details of the childhood event even if it is only a fragment of a memory. To aid in the hypnosis the therapists may help facilitate these memories and while under hypnosis the client is persuaded into coming up with details of the traumatic event. Because the client may be highly suggestible in this relaxed state, the client may see images that are completely new. With the constant prodding of the therapist to give details, it is not uncommon for the client to give a very detailed account of childhood molestation. This convinces both the client and the therapist that the memory must be true in order for the client to come up with such a dramatic detail. But to a better trained psychiatrist, says Gardner (370), these details only indicate the opposite. â€Å"Childhood memories are notoriously vague, by recalling minute details is a strong sign of fantasizing†. Hypnosis is the power of suggestion towards a client with an open mind who is under the influence of hypnosis. There are individuals who become easily absorbed in imaginative activity (Barnier McConkey, 2004; Silva Kirch, 1992). In my opinion, it would be safe to say some people are more susceptible to acting out or playing along with the possibilities of an imaginary event. Con: Vulnerabilities There are other reasons why people cannot distinguish real memories from an actual event that occurs in their most vulnerable state; such as in children and the elderly. In very young children their frontal lobe have not fully matured and in older adults their frontal lobe functioning may decline (Jacoby et al 2005, Jacoby Rhodes, 2006). The frontal lobe is responsible for controlling emotion and is important for memory, language, judgmental decisions and impulse control, along with problem solving and social behaviors to name a few (Kolb Wishaw, 1990). In many cases referring to the elderly declarative memory is the type of memory that could cause problems as they age due to the hippocampus becomes vulnerable to degenerative disorders. As in the case of Alzheimer’s disease, this can cause recent information to disappear within seconds. An elderly person who suffers from short term memory loss can be easily taken advantage of. For instance, say there is a person with criminal intent that has performed work in exchange for payment for services performed and has provided payment already could coheres the Alzheimer’s person to persistently suggest that payment was never paid for work and will persuade this misinformation to have this elderly person make them believe it and unfortunately could end up paying for services again. Pro: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Another therapeutic therapy that involves a patient and therapist that will assist in â€Å"Moving and freeing up blocked traumatic energy so that the patient can return to normal is through the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)† (Carol Boulware, MFT, PHD website 2006). According to Dr. Shapiro the theory of rapid eye movement gently sends the patient back to revisit the traumatic moment or incident, recalling feelings surrounding experience, as well as any negative thoughts, feeling and memories. Pro: Alleviation of mental disorders The method to EMDR technique is to have the patient sub come to their negative emotions and focus on an object the therapist sways from side to side in front of the patient and as the patient watches the movement the patient releases the memory making it become vivid and then the brain will process the emotion resulting in a more relaxed and peaceful resolved feeling. EMDR is a right eye, left eye stimulation, which constantly activates the opposite sides of the brain and somehow releases all those negative emotional experiences that are jammed in the nervous system. This technique allows the neurophysiological system to release itself from the obstruction and reconnect to its proper location of the brain. Conclusion In my opinion hypnotic testimonies are unreliable and should not be allowed to be used in court, due to the probability of producing false memories from a forgotten suppressed memory. Also, long term memory requires you to revisit your experiences periodically so that if memories become unused they can become distorted overtime. Memories are not created equal, they are either memories of specific events, learned procedures by performing an action, or are either straight facts.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Outsiders 2 Essays - Films, The Outsiders, Greaser, Grease, Plot

The Outsiders 2 In this book analysis, about the book ?The Outsiders? by S. E. Hinton I will discuss character and plot development, as well as the setting, the author's style and my opinions about the book. In this part of the analysis I will give some information about the subjects of the book, and about the author. The author wrote the story when she was just 16 years old, in the 1950s. The book was successful, and it was sold, and still being sold, in many copies as a young adults novel. There was a movie made about it, and today there are still many schools that use this book in junior high and high schools for English classes. There were plays made about the book too. The Outsiders is about a gang. They live in a city in Oklahoma. Ponyboy Curtis, a 14 year old greaser, tells the story. Other characters include Sodapop and Darry, Ponyboy's brothers, Johnny, Dallas, and Two- Bit, that were also gang members and Ponyboy's friends. This story deals with two forms of social classes: the socs, the r ich kids, and the greasers, the poor kids. The socs go around looking for trouble and greasers to beat up, and then the greasers are blamed for it, because they are poor and cannot affect the authorities. I hope you would enjoy and learn something about the book from reading this analysis. Plot Development The plot development in the book, ?The Outsiders? by S.E. Hinton, was easy to follow. In this part of the book analysis I will give some more details about the plot development. There were no hooks or hurdles in the beginning of the book, the first sentence starts right away with the plot?without any forewords. This is the beginning of the first sentence: ?When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house...? (page 9). As you can see, it goes straight to the point without any prologues or any kind of introduction. The plot development in the middle of the story was sensible and easy to understand. It was clear and simple, and the events have occurred in a reasonable order. The ending of the story was a bit expected. I anticipated the death of Johnny because a broken neck usually means death. The death of Dally was not as predictable as Johnny's death because it was said that: ?He was tougher than the rest of us?tougher, colder, meaner.? (page 19). I did not think that such a tough person would get himself killed because of a death of a friend, although it was said a short time before the death of Dally that: ?Johnny was the only thing Dally loved.? (page 160). The climaxes at the end of the story were the deaths of Johnny and Dally. Here are quotations about the deaths: Johnny's death: ?The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died.? (page 157). Dally's death: ?He was jerked half around by the impact of the bullets, then slowly crumpled with a look of grim triumph on his face. He was dead before he hit the ground.? (page 162). To conclude I can say that the plot development was simple and easy to understand and to follow. The author organized it in a way that fits the actual content of the plot. Character Development The characters in the book, ?The Outsiders? by S.E. Hinton, were not very heroic?they were just humans?it was easy to believe that this is the way they should be. The characters in the plot give the reader a feeling this can be a true story. The author has created the personality of the characters through the descriptions of Ponyboy?the narrator?and through their actions. Following are some examples of these methods of getting familiar with a character. Here is an example for a description of Ponyboy: ?Steve Randle was seventeen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls. He was cocky, smart, and Soda's best buddy since grade school. Steve's specialty was cars...? (page 17). The reader can find this kind of descriptions almost everywhere in the story, but especially in the beginning. I think the

Sunday, November 24, 2019

How to Use Conjunctions in Italian

How to Use Conjunctions in Italian Italian conjunctions serve as connector words, bringing words, phrases, and clauses together, like one big, happy family. They’re handy because they make expressing yourself a whole lot easier, and they save you time. For example, the phrase: devo andare a Parigi e a Londra per lavoro is the result of two phrases: Devo andare a Parigi per lavoro. - I have to go to Paris for work.Devo andare a Londra per lavoro. - I have to go to London for work. Which, joined by means of the conjunction â€Å"e - and†, becomes: Devo andare a Parigi per lavoro e devo andare a Londra per lavoro. - I have to go to Paris for work, and I have to go to London for work. But, really, what’s easier to say is: Devo andare a Parigi e a Londra per lavoro. - I have to go to Paris and to London for work. Types of Italian Conjunctions There can be two types: coordinating conjunctions (congiunzioni coordinative), or conjunctions that combine two independent clauses, and subordinating conjunctions (congiunzioni subordinative) or conjunctions that combine a dependent clause with an independent one. Congiunzioni coordinative: Join clauses or parts of syntactically equivalent clauses A coordinating conjunction is, for example, the â€Å"e - and in the preceding sentence: devo andare a Parigie a Londra per lavoro, where the elements brought together by the conjunction (a Parigi e a Londra) are equivalent from a syntactic point of view. In practice, coordination means to combine two syntactically homogeneous terms: Two attributes of the same noun (una strada lunga e diritta - a long and straight street)Two subjects of the same verb (Sergio e Claudio scrivono - Sergio and Claudio write)Two verbs with the same subject (Sergio legge e scrive - Sergio reads and writes)Two subordinate clauses of the same principal (verrà ² domani, se ci siete e non disturbo - I’ll come tomorrow, if you all are there and I’m not disturbing) Congiunzioni subordinative: Combine one dependent clause with another (known as the principal or independent clause), and therefore modifies, completes, or clarifies the meaning Examples of subordinating conjunctions are: Perchà © - BecauseQuando - WhenSe - If Esempi: Non esco perchà © piove. - I’m not going out because it’s raining.Non esco quando piove. - I don’t go out when it rains.Non esco se piove. - I’m not going out if it rains. Here the main clause â€Å"non esco† is on a different level with respect to the subordinates perchà © / quando / se piove: the latter add a determinant (causal, temporal, conditional), and act like a complement to the main clause. What is clear, then, is the similarity between the subordinating conjunctions and the prepositions: the causal clause perchà © piove, introduced by the conjunction perchà ©, is equivalent to a complement of cause per la pioggia, introduced by the preposition per. Forms of Italian Conjunctions With respect to their linguistic form, conjunctions are divided into: Semplici (simple), if they are formed by a single word such as: E - AndO - OrAnche - AlsoMa - ButCome - Like, asChe - ThatNà © - Neither, nor, or Composte (compound), if they are formed by two or more words joined together such as: Eppure (e pure) - YetOppure (o pure) - YetNeanche (ne anche) - NeitherSebbene (se bene) - Although, even thoughAllorchà © (allora che) - When, as soon asNondimeno (non di meno) - Nevertheless, regardlessPerchà © (per chà ©) - BecausePercià ² (per cià ²) - Therefore, for this reason, soPoichà © (poi chà ©) - Since Locuzioni congiuntive (subjunctive idioms), if they are comprised of multiple words written separately, such as: Per il fatto che - For the fact thatDi modo che - So thatPer la qual cosa - For whichAnche se - Even ifDal momento che - From the moment thatOgni volta che - Each time that

Thursday, November 21, 2019

War on Drugs and War on Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

War on Drugs and War on Terrorism - Essay Example examples of this interplay between illicit drug trade and terrorism.3 This interplay between the illicit drug trade and terrorism poses both a direct and indirect to national security in the sense that the drugs are traded in the U.S. and therefore indirectly funds terrorism activities both abroad and at home. Moreover, terrorism and the illicit drug trade pose distinct threats to US national security and global security as whole. The US has a vested interest in global security as it can compromise the safety of Americans abroad and can eventually have both direct and indirect consequences for homeland security. This research examines the interplay between US anti-drug and terrorism policies. This will be accomplished by exploring and evaluating both policies, their strategies and the rationale for both policies. In 1986 drugs were officially deemed a national security threat. President Ronald Reagan’ National Security Decision Directive of April, 1986 declared that drugs had the potential to destabilize democracies, deplete both the morality and health of the U.S.’s society and could â€Å"adversely affect the economy.†4 On the evening of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush in an address to the nation spoke of a â€Å"war against terrorism†.5 The US war on terrorism is predicted on an urgent need to defend and protect the US, â€Å"the American people, and their livelihoods†.6 Regardless of the separate and distinct threat to national security, there is increasing evidence that drug trafficking and terrorism are intricately linked. For instance, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) issued a report in 2003 claiming that out of the 36 foreign terrorist groups in the US as listed by the U.S. State Department, 14 were engaged in drug trafficking activities.7 It is therefore hardly surprising that the DEA would advocate that both the war on drugs and the war on terrorism be combined.8 The DEA is not the only source identifying a link between

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

In Preventing a Brave New World (pp. 317-329), Leon Kass concludes Essay

In Preventing a Brave New World (pp. 317-329), Leon Kass concludes that reproductive and therapeutic cloning of human embryos - Essay Example He points out that â€Å"revulsion† (Kass, 2001) is not the basis of his argument as he points out that â€Å"repugnance† (Kass, 2001) of the past is silently accepted in the present. He moreover observes that disgust is not something that is emotional and hence he is not being emotional when he criticizes the cloning of the human embryos but it is a deep thought into the matter makes him talk against the mechanism. He compares cloning with the incest relationships and other unethical activities like disfigurement of corpse or feeding on human flesh. Kass observes that as murder, rape or bestiality cannot be ethically justified, in the same manner reproductive and therapeutic cloning of human embryos stands unjustified on the ground of ethics. Kass (2001), in his composition, says that cloning is resisted not only because it is strange to take up something like this but because he â€Å"intuit† that it is not novel and cloning for him is the violation of things t hat he dearly holds. In the book he criticizes cloning on the grounds of unethical experimentation, threatening the identity of human being and his or her individuality, transforming the essence of procreation into manufacturing. He also argues against it on the ground of despotism that it heralds on the children, thereby becoming the harbinger of parenthood perversion. He makes sure he is not misinterpreted when he is arguing against cloning. He points out that he is against the creation of reproductive cloning and not against the cloning that is used for the research work (Kass, 2001). On ethical grounds Kass argues that the cloning experiment has an adverse and unethical effect on the child to be born. Its not that they would be only affected adversely on the ethical grounds there can serious dangers to their life, as the experiment of cloning has failed mostly among the animals. Incidents of fetal deaths and the deaths of the stillborn infants cannot be avoided in the process of cloning. He also points out that the so called proclaimed successes are actually failure. It has also been revealed very recently that there remains a high chance of disability and deformity among the cloned animals that lives after birth. He justifies his argument by citing examples of clone crows which has heart and lungs problems and cloned mice which develops pathological obesity later on in its life span. It has been also observed that a cloned animal fails in attaining normal development milestones. Though he argues on the ethical grounds of relationships and the associated problem that would arise from cloning he actually argues on a strong scientific and logical terms. His argument against cloning stands justified on the basis of the facts and figures that have been provided by him (Kass, 2001). He also puts forward an argument on the basis of identity and individuality crisis. It will be like a dilemma for the person who has been cloned, as not only will he have concerns a bout his distinguishing characteristics but also that he will have an identical appearance as his father or mother. This would lead to serious identity crisis. He indicates the adverse effect that a homey case can have if engaged in infra familial cloning. Cloning of the husband and the wife gives birth to a twin parent child relation. Eventually no parent will be competent to take care of the clone of himself or herself as one treats his or her own child. This creates a series of perplexity in the relationship, the way they are perceived. Like if the daughter is the clone of

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Do you believe the world since the end of the Cold War in 1989 has Assignment

Do you believe the world since the end of the Cold War in 1989 has become more peaceful and stable or less peaceful and stable - Assignment Example According to Kennath Waltz’s argument the world becomes more stable and peaceful when it is dominated by few superpowers. In other words, unipolar world is more stable than multipolar world (Lundestad & Jakobsen, 2013). However, considering ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa, growing economic and political crises, growing international and domestic terrorism, emerging multipolar system, and weakening dominance of the US, present world has become less peaceful and more instable than the Cold War era. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the growing instability and potential threats to the security and peace in the world by means of various examples and facts. The concept of unipolarity is used to define the global power system which is mainly dominated by one superpower. After the end of Cold War, there wasn’t typical West vs. East conflict as it was in the 20th century. Due to lack of real challenges, the US enjoyed the status of most influencing power in the world. It allowed the US to interfere or involve in the global issues that often didn’t reflect the national interests (Lundestad & Jakobsen, 2013). According to power structure analyzers, unipolarity is volatile and unstable because it always advances towards multipolarity as other emerging powers attempt to overthrow the dominance of one nation in global system. Though the superpower can curb such progress, at least for the short period, its dominance will eventually be lowered as a result of constantly emerging new powers (Lundestad & Jakobsen, 2013). Since the oil embargo of 1973, the US has maintained aggressive policies towards Middle-eastern countries in order to control vast oil reserves in the region. Under the quid pro quo deal, the US provides defense security to Middle-eastern states in return of oil (Cran & Barker, 2012). For

Friday, November 15, 2019

Most Important Function Of The International Monetary Fund Finance Essay

Most Important Function Of The International Monetary Fund Finance Essay As Mussa says In official discussions of the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), especially at meetings of the IMF Executive Board and of the ministerial-level International Monetary and finance Committee, it is often observed that surveillance is the IMFs most important function.  [1]   Evidence on the importance of this function is what I quote from the literature of Murilo Portugal who points out that: One of the main purposes of the IMF is to promote international cooperation on monetary and financial affairs, being the machinery for consultation and collaboration on these issues. However, of all IMF functions this is the one that is least developed. This function is currently performed by means of exercises of multilateral surveillance of global economic and financial conditions. Two major reports are prepared twice a year for that purpose, the World Economic Outlook and the Global Financial Stability Report. These reports are discussed by the Executive Board and later taken up by the IMFC, both of which make generic exhortations to certain countries or group of countries to pursue policies that are considered appropriate from their own perspective, but that are also required from a global point of view. There is, however, a clear need to enhance the effectivene ss of multilateral surveillance.  [2]   Mr Lars Heikensten said the following on surveillance: The IMFs key instrument for reaching its overall objective should be its preventive activities, which are primarily carried out within the scope of its surveillance function. The IMFs primarily role is not to treat illnesses but to prevent them from breaking out. Much can be done to bolster the IMFs surveillance function, both as regards individual countries but also, to an increasing extent, by way of a stronger regional and global focus. This change in emphasis can, among other things, be motivated by the fact that globalisation and increased integration has resulted in a situation where more and more countries national policies give rise to externalities. A strong multilateral surveillance function could contribute, more clearly than today, to creating a broad international discussion of global imbalances, incorrectly valued exchange rates, etc., which generate risks to stability both in individual countries and in the interna tional financial system as a whole. In this context, it is crucial that the member countries accept and support the role that has been given to the IMF, including taking seriously its advice and recommendations. We are often more keen to underline the importance of the IMFs surveillance function for other countries than we are to be guided by the IMFs analyses of our own countries. This is not beneficial for the IMFs credibility.  [3]   For more several reasons, one of them is that we are now living the globalization era and as I cite from the IMF official website that In todays globalized economy, where the economic and financial policies of one country may spill over to affect many other countries, international cooperation on a global scale to monitor and influence economic developments is essential. With its nearly universal membership of 185  countries, IMF surveillance provides the mechanism for this cooperation. Effective surveillance contributes to a stable international monetary system that sustains sound economic growth through the following mutually-reinforcing processes: multilateral surveillance, or oversight of the world economy; and bilateral surveillance which comprises appraisal of and advice on the policies of each individual member country to promote external and domestic stability (including growth); analysis of cross country spillovers; and sharing of the aggregate experience of 185 members.  [4]   Another reason is that the supervision of fiscal transparency or supervision of monetary and financial transparency goes under, acts and interacts with the function of surveillance which monitors the policies chosen by the governments and the central banks of the member families and the. The Fiscal transparency entails being open to the public about the structure and functions of government that determine fiscal policies and outcomes, and the past, present, and future fiscal activities of government. Such transparency fosters better-informed public debate, as well as greater government accountability and credibility.  [5]   And the transparency of the Monetary and financial policies can be more effective if their objectives, rationale, and methods of implementation are communicated to the public in a clear and timely manner. Such transparency by central banks and financial agencies responsible for supervision and regulation of financial institutions and markets can also foster more informed market expectations, and greater public accountability.  [6]   Another reason is that the IMF will not start the process of lending unless it has the information about the member country that has the need, so the lending process comes after the process of surveillance. When its member countries experience balance of payments (BOP) difficulties, either through capital account or current account crises, the IMF can make loans designed to help them stabilize their international payments situation and adopt policy changes sufficient to reverse their situation and overcome their problems. In some cases, the IMF makes short-term loans to help prevent countries economies from spiraling into financial crisis and to facilitate renewed inflows of private sector capital.  [7]   And even there are a lot of critics on the IMF that it is giving a lot of long term loans which should be the role of the World Bank or other big market lenders as the World Bank has the better experience, competence, the ability and the support from the member countries to perform long term loans. As Dr Rosa emphasised It also argues that the main role of the IMF should increasingly delegate the role of long-term lending for structural purposes to the World Bank.  [8]   And she continues It is the World Bank, however, that has the staff and the technical expertise to develop and cost sectoral strategies together with client countries. The IMF, therefore, should work closely with the World Bank to ensure that the macroeconomic frameworks of client countries reflect the financing needs of their poverty-reduction strategies. Achieving this result will entail much-improved coordination in-country between statistical agencies, line ministries, finance ministries, and central banks and, in Washington, between the IMF and the World Bank.  [9]   Then to add that how important the function of surveillance the IMF Executive board decided to update and enhance this function by approving its new frame work. On a Statement by IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato on IMF Executive Board Decision to Approve New Framework for Surveillance I get this quote: The change we are making is the first major revision in the surveillance framework in some 30 years, and it is the first ever comprehensive policy statement on surveillance. The new decision reflects current best practice in our work of monitoring members exchange rate policies and domestic economic policies. It reaffirms that surveillance should be focused on our core mandate, namely promoting countries external stability. And it gives clear guidance to our members on how they should run their exchange rate policies, on what is acceptable to the international community, and what is not.  [10]   The IMF should use the tools it has of bilateral and multilateral surveillance all the way through to encourage financial stability by making analysis for the day to day work with the members and by making these info available for all financial actors in addition to policy makers and market participants.  [11]   For all of that I think that the most important function of the IMF is surveillance and what it needs is more support from the member countries and from the IMF in implanting its policies for the better function of the economical structures of the countries in the open global economic world of today.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Importance of Using a Condom Essays -- Argumentative Persuasive Ar

The Importance of Using a Condom In a recent study performed at the University of New Orleans by Dr. Bruce M. King, only 20% of men reported using a condom consistently, while only 50% reported using protection with a new partner. The results of condom use or lack there of is clear: ? 2/3 of all STIs occur in people 25 years of age or younger ? By the age of 24, 1 in 3 sexually active people will have contracted an STI ? In 2000, 15- to 19-year-old women had the highest rate of gonorrhea compared to all other age categories. (Sources: American Social Health Association, Centers for Disease Control, and Planned Parenthood.) There are many stigmas about using condoms. Many sexually active college students simply don?t find sexual intercourse with condoms as satisfying as sex without them. Often students find it inconvenient, or expensive to use condoms. However, all of these excuses are minuscule compared to the dangerous and life-altering results of not using protection, in addition all of these issues can be overcome. First it may be true that not using ... The Importance of Using a Condom Essays -- Argumentative Persuasive Ar The Importance of Using a Condom In a recent study performed at the University of New Orleans by Dr. Bruce M. King, only 20% of men reported using a condom consistently, while only 50% reported using protection with a new partner. The results of condom use or lack there of is clear: ? 2/3 of all STIs occur in people 25 years of age or younger ? By the age of 24, 1 in 3 sexually active people will have contracted an STI ? In 2000, 15- to 19-year-old women had the highest rate of gonorrhea compared to all other age categories. (Sources: American Social Health Association, Centers for Disease Control, and Planned Parenthood.) There are many stigmas about using condoms. Many sexually active college students simply don?t find sexual intercourse with condoms as satisfying as sex without them. Often students find it inconvenient, or expensive to use condoms. However, all of these excuses are minuscule compared to the dangerous and life-altering results of not using protection, in addition all of these issues can be overcome. First it may be true that not using ...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Gender and Educational Achievement

Gender and Educational Achievement a) Explain what is meant by â€Å"peer-group status†. (2 Marks) Peer-group status is being seen as â€Å"big† or important in the eyes of friends and other people around you. b) Suggest three ways in which teaching might be altered to favour boys. (6 Marks) Three ways in which teaching can be altered to favour boys are:- * Include practical work to make sure they understand the work. offering extra credit or chances unequally between males and females, favouring the males * School Topics that the school teaches such as Maths, Design Technology, Physical Education and many more are more male based subjects. c) Outline some of the factors outside the education system that have affected gender differences in school. (12 Marks) There are many factors outside the school education system that have affected gender differences in school.Firstly it can be said that parents expect more from their children to be hardworking, have responsible over their actions and behaviour towards others, to be tidy and neat. This is known as Parental Aspiration. Compared to girls, boys are more Laddish behaved which leads them to disrespect teachers in schools. Furthermore peer pressure can also affect gender difference in school; this is suggested in some case where boys impress their friends by acting like a â€Å"Cool† person, in the end not paying attention in class or to their studies.Whereas most girls are more likely to achieve better in their studies, this is more likely they stay away bad influenced people. According to Francis (2000) â€Å"boys no longer likely to consider themselves more able than girls†, this is considered to the subject choices that boys undertake, which do not require academic success, however girls think more realistic which do require academic success such as becoming an Engineer or a teacher, this makes them seem to work harder in school’s to go to University and to pursue the profess ion job.Additionally other external factors that may affect gender difference in school are crises in masculinity where women and males have equal rights to work and more women get into the well-paid jobs. d) Using information from Items A and B and elsewhere, assess sociological explanations of why girls achieve better results than boys. (20 Marks) Throughout the past years girls are improving and getting better results than boys. Reasons behind these achievements that explain are â€Å"Soft and hard subjects†, parental aspiration, girls aim higher and many more reason.These examples give some idea of why the girls perform better than boys. In this essay I am going to compare on why girls achieve better results than boys. For the past many years studies have been conducted to find out the girls achievements are better than boys, also in the recent studies have been concluded as girls and young women’s attitudes towards education, marriage and work have been changed ov er the years. Sue Sharpe who is a sociologist conducted a study on working-class girls in London and their attitudes towards education.Sue Sharpe compared the attitudes of working-class girls in London schools in the early 1970’s and 1990’s. She found that the 1990’s girls were more confident, more assertive, more ambitious and more committed to gender equality. Sharpe found that the main priorities of the 1970’s girls were ‘love, marriage, husbands and children’. By 1990’s this had changed to ‘job, career and being able to support them with education being the main route to a good job. In 1994, Sue Sharpe found that girls were increasingly wary of marriage.They had seen adult relationships break up around them, and had seen women coping alone, in a ‘man’s world’. Girls were more concerned with standing on their own two feet and were more likely to see education as a means to financial independence. Furthermor e both male and female parents expect more from them in their studies; however boys now tend drift more into large peer groups and involve into gang violence, this makes the boys seem as poorly behaved in school and underachieve in their studies. On the other hand girls are more organised and meet their deadline for their given coursework.Additionally a recognition that girls were put off by what were traditionally seen as â€Å"boys subjects† or also known as hard subject such as maths, technology, physics and chemistry. This led to the introduction of equal opportunity initiatives such as Girls into Science and Technology. But Girls tend to take soft subject for A- level such as Biology, Sociology, textiles and many more, this is because they more easy subject to do. A recent report was on the new which was regarding less than 50% girls are undertaking the subject physics, which is known as a â€Å"manly subject† for A-level.In addition early research on peer-group s tatus states that the development of antischool subculture that tended to be developed by some working-class boys, particularly those placed in lower streams, bands and sets. Studies by Hargreaves (1967) and Willis (1977), for example, showed how such boys were either fatalistic in accepting school failure as inevitable and so developed anti-educational coping strategies, or sought to compensate for status frustration by gaining credibility in the eyes of their peers.To conclude girls in school achieve higher than boys in school, this is because to some of the factors in school and out of school which may affect many boys with their studies and their behaviour. Overall girls seem to be more able to concentrate in class whereas boys are more practical type and choose hard subjects such as physics, maths, Physical Education and many more.

Friday, November 8, 2019

To My Mother Essays

To My Mother Essays To My Mother Paper To My Mother Paper Essay Topic: Poetry To my mother a poem written by George Barker is about a boy encouraging his mother to come out of her sorrows. The persona of this poem is encouraging his mother to fight her sorrows and overcome them because he has a lot of faith in her and also loves her. The message George Barker conveys through this poem is that we should not let our loved one in pain or sorrow but help them conquer over the sadness by showing affection and love, and having faith in them. The poet successfully conveys his message through the use of a variety of poetic techniques such as; form, diction and imagery. The poem To My Mother is written in a specific from, which helps convey the message and the feelings of the mother across to the readers. This poem is a sonnet; it consists of fourteen lines which are pleasingly divided into an octave and a sestet, more like a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet. The octave describes to us the seismic laughter and how the mother was before all the sorrow taking control of her. It tells us that she was a comical yet caring; she was more of a role model to the other but she was following a brass band which could be referring to her beliefs. The sestet also talks about the mother but it is after all the sorrow fills her heart and mind, she leans on the mahogany table people lean on object when they are tired upset. In this case the mother is both upset and tired of being upset. The last two lines in the sestet describe how the behaviour of the mother has affected the son, the only strength, which the son can provide for his mother to break the wall of sadness is love and faith. The octave has a rhyme scheme of abcd abcd, the sestet has a rhyme scheme of efg efg, and each line follows an iambic metre. The iambic metre gives us a rhythm to read the poem, which also relates to the message and the mothers feelings. Normally when we feel sad, everything we do tends to be slow and at a steady pace, the iambic metre provides that steadiness in the reading. The metre also relates to the message, helping someone overcome their sorrows, the metre states the slow and sorrowful mind of the mother and the rhyme at the end of each line suggests the love and faith the son has toward the mother. By using the form of a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet the poet effectively state the message. Through the uses of effective diction and simile, George Barker communicates the emotions of the mother. In the octave word choices like, most dear suggests that this poem might indeed be a letter to some one. When I think of words like most loved and most far, it seems to be a letter written to someone, who has died, and the boy is informing his mother status after their death. Huge suggests not only the mothers appearance but also the kindness; having a huge heart. Seismic implies her being jovial and light hearted; on the other hand in the sestet, where the tone changes, the thoughtful choice of words emphasise the sadness of the mother. She will not glance up at the bomber or condescend/ To drop her gin and scuttle to the cellar, this shows us that the boy has tried every means to get the mother out of her sorrows but what ever happens she would not recover or respond. People Lean when they are tired, stressed or miserable, this directly relates to the mothers state of mind. I think that the detailed description of the table; being mahogany is significant to how the mother feels as well. The word sounds like melancholy; meaning sad and depressed, which is what the mother is undergoing. The word cellar reminds me of prisons and bars; the mother is behind and trapped into the prison of mourning. Mourning into morning these words are homophones; sounding the same concludes the poem, and also states the message, by expressing that the mother sorrows will end when there is a new beginning. One very effective simile, is describing his mother like a mountain, this description not only describes the physical appearance but also the emotional capacity. A mountain is large and is a home to many living things, and the author to choose a mountain to describes is telling us that she is not only physically big but also is full of sorrow and sadness that, and the son needing the support of the mother, resembles the life in the mountains . George Barker uses metre, diction, rhyme, and simile; to illustrate the hidden message of his poem to his readers. The careful choice of word helps the readers successfully understand the emotions of the mother. The form of the poem helps the readers, feel the mothers sorrowfulness and the message from the poet; that we should help our loved one overcome pain and sorrow by loving them and having faith in them.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How to Write a College Classification Essay 3 Steps to a Masterpiece

How to Write a College Classification Essay 3 Steps to a Masterpiece How to Write a College Classification Essay: 3 Steps to a Masterpiece Amongst a great variety of college papers, classification essay is probably one of the easiest. It’s pretty brief and doesn’t require an in-depth and too lasting research. Nonetheless, you should never think that you will write as if it’s a simple stroll in the local park. This would be a mistake. A classification essay is a responsible piece of writing. This paper type is related to the organization of certain things, facts, terms, etc. into definite and logical categories. This piece of writing is needed for the convenience while arranging information. Such essay simplifies complex terms and makes them easier to comprehend. You won’t mess up things if you see that they are divided into groups with similar roots. In order to cope with this paper, you should remember three crucial steps. These are: Dividing things into logical categories. Classifying categories with one principle. Supporting every category using examples. Prior to reviewing those three essential guidelines, it’s necessary to highlight one crucial point. A classification essay can be successfully completed if finding categories correctly. Your task is to sort out, classify, and bind the things together in a reasonable way. This can be achieved if knowing how to relate topics to one another. For instance, your task is to classify sporting events. There may be two large groups like summer and winter sports. You can delve deeper and sort out separate competitions that can take place outdoors and indoors etc. Therefore, you should find and stick to a certain defining principle to divide all variables. 1. Determine the Category Once you pick up a topic, you should make a proper research on all possible things that might be associated with it. This information will help you understand what category you are to classify. That is why the compiling of all facts is so significant. Be thorough! Use critical thinking and analyze all details. Of course, you ought to verify the data you are going to implement into your text. You should know the peculiarities. 2. Use a Single Classification Principle Every classification essay writer would confirm the golden rule for this essay type – use a single principle to classify your topic. It would make no sense in using different principles for one category. Under such a condition, you would simply mess the things up. However, the main objective of this essay type is to simplify and clarify your research. Therefore, you should learn all possible principles. Your next move is to choose the most suitable one. The perfect combination would be the principle, which fits in the content and your personal writing style. 3. Provide Equal Examples After you select the single principle and determine your category, support the studied research. Regardless of how many categories you are classifying in your essay, find equal examples for each. The number of examples should be the same. It would be wrong to support a certain category with too many. Their essence should be even as well. Probably, you will devote more energy to the main category. Accordingly, it might take more time. Nonetheless, you ought to follow status quo. Some Additional Points It is worth mentioning the typical transitions. These are either kind, or type, or group. Thus, choosing a group, there should go the first – second – third group, etc. Do not add kind or type. This would be a mistake, and you will lose a lot of grades. You should keep clarity in your research. Undoubtedly, a lot depends on the topic of your essay. If you are given the prerogative to choose on your own, you will reap great rewards. You will have a chance to choose the one that is interesting to you. Thus, the process of classification would run smoothly. As a topic, you may choose: Major events in the American history. Countries classification (population, territory, etc.). Classification of psychological diseases. Sporting events. Popular books, movies or TV shows, etc. It’s up to you what to choose. Of course, you should make sure that the classified topic will be interesting, helpful, and relevant to your audience as well. Thus, you will earn more grades to sustain your academic progress.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

How important were farming regions in determining allegiance in the Essay

How important were farming regions in determining allegiance in the English Civil War - Essay Example Even in Jacobean London half the aldermen, the merchant princes, were domestic traders. And in contrast to the faltering export trade, the internal economy was not only diversifying but growing considerably (T. Wilson Hayes, pg 115). London was not the sole 'engine of growth', but farming regions impact the most obvious feature of internal development. The Newcastle region was by no means alone in its integration into an increasingly national economy. The costs and delays of inland transport, especially by road, meant that pastoral regions still grew grain for bread and beer. Outlying upland counties periodically had difficulty in sending taxes to London, especially in winter, since so little traffic went that way, and cross-country contacts by road were even more difficult - indeed, the average price of wheat in Devon late in the dearth year of 1631 was 50 per cent higher than in neighboring Dorset. Nevertheless, growing specialization in agriculture accounts for the fame of Cheshire cheese and Worcestershire apples. Transport ties to London were sufficiently developed for John Taylor's Carrier's Cosmography in 1637 to give details of carriers linking the capital with all regions. By the 1630s regular stage coa ches linked London with major towns in the southeast and Midlands, and by the 1650s Edinburgh and most major provincial cities had been drawn into the coaching network. More substantial connections appeared by mid-century, as inns along the scarp slope separating the Severn and Thames valleys allowed traders to join the hinterlands of Bristol and London. The growth of London and the forging of a national economy were both cause and effect of developments in both agriculture. In agriculture the gradual spread of new techniques was symbolized by a new vogue in handbooks, such as Walter Blith's The English Improver (1649). As the market expanded more attention was given to the crops and farming practices best suited to local soils: the growing popularity of 'convertible' or 'up-and-down' husbandry, alternating periods of arable and pasture, is evident across much of lowland England. More striking still is the way many farmers, small as well as large, converted to new cash crops like madder and woad for dye, to tobacco in the Severn valley, as well as to market gardening around towns (Mark Stoyle, 1994). Although the full impact of the new crops was only to be felt after mid-century, when slackening demand encouraged farmers to raise productivity, England slowly outstripped much of the rest of Europe in its ability to feed and employ a g rowing population. Starvation in the crisis of 1623 was limited to the northwest; and thereafter, despite appalling hardship in the later 1640s, famine seems to have been more or less eliminated. The prevalence of domestic production in textiles, in leather-working, in most branches of the metal industry, makes it impossible to measure economic distress. Cost-of-living figures measure prices in the market. Much of the population was engaged in both agriculture and industry: the small farmer whose wife and servant did some subsidiary spinning or stocking-knitting, the artisan miner with a small plot of land attached to his cottage, even Norwich laborers who did harvest-work in nearby fields in the 1630s, and

Friday, November 1, 2019

GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS - Essay Example It started when the US sub-prime mortgage market collapsed due to the default on payments. A sub-Prime mortgage is a loan made for homes to borrowers who are not eligible for prime home loans because they either do not have sound credit history or have non at all. For example, people with low incomes, low bank transactions, history of defaults or unemployment, can use these mortgage loans to purchase homes. These loans are generally given out by lenders on higher interest rates, additional fees, penalties for early satisfaction of the loan and other additional costs such as adjustable interest rates (ARM). With such instruments where the borrowers do not have a credit history for the borrowers to base heir decisions on, there is a high risk of default. What was once known as the leader and a strong entity of the economy in 2007, the real estate business took a complete nosedive, which was not expected as the values of houses had not declined since World War 2 and were on a continuous rise after the great depression, and thus, lead to the liquidity crunch in the US market. The mortgage taken by investors had real estate as collateral which eventually lost all its value and hence defaults on payments occurred. The demand for houses increased also during 2001 because the federal government reduced the interest rates, it was the lowest in 2001. This allowed people to invest in more houses and people started buying vacation houses and second homes. The builders continued building more and more houses even after the demand for property started to decrease after a while. The property market became so overvalued that finally the market collapsed, resulting in a rapid decrease in the rates properties and property demands. (University of Iowa, 2008) Many Credit Rating agencies also played a major role in the event. The Mortgage backed securities which were in great demand in the early 2002, continued with the increasing demand and although

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Investments and Assessments Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Investments and Assessments - Research Paper Example responsibility efforts put in by the company yield needed results, the company has its own assessment mechanisms that it uses in measuring the effectiveness of the programs. Commonly, the company would use a qualitative assessment test that compares the corporate social responsibility goals with the larger company business plan to ensure that there is a relation or positive link. Given that the company has set business plans and strategies of becoming a market leader and also expand its profit base, the financial successes and expanded growth experienced by the company in the last five years makes the company conclude that its corporate social responsibility has yielded positive results (Norberg, 2000). From the 2012 sustainability report published by Marriott Company, it can be seen that as many of the company stakeholders that were identified as possible expressed positive sentiments about the impact that the company’s corporate social responsibilities through sustainability is making (Marriott, 2012). This is because the patronizing populace has been identified as people who have become more concerned about the need to trade with sustainability oriented companies and so they have responded to the company’s quest by increasing their patronage of the company’s services and products offered. It can therefore be seen that there exists no differences in the opinions expressed by stakeholders as against the one expressed by the company. Marriott Company. 2011/2012 Sustainability Report. Accessed February 23, 2013 from

Monday, October 28, 2019

Preparing to Write and Drafting the Paper Essay Example for Free

Preparing to Write and Drafting the Paper Essay When it came to writing all these papers I gave myself time to think about the topics and tried to make sure I understood them before I sat down to write the essays. I have never really been a strong writer when it came to essays in high school it was not an easy task for me. I never had a good strategy when it came to actually writing the papers and putting everything in order. I figured out how to stop worrying so much about getting the assignment turned in on time because that would always stop me from thinking more about the paper then it would turn out bad and I would even up getting a bad grade which would make me feel horrible. I figured out that I should worry more about the paper and then I would be able to focus on the paper so I would be getting it done on time as well. My strategy for writing a paper requires me write a rough draft, take sometime to reread it and then type it making sure everything is spelled correctly. Then making sure all my grammar is correct through out my entire paper also, making sure that I have the correct punctuation everywhere its needed. Then after typing up everything I go through the paper one last time to make sure there isn’t anything I need to add or take out which is usually where I see where I need to change my sentence structure and add certain works or move sentences to different paragraphs. With this class it’s actually been a good experience for me when it came to writing papers and trying to get everything done either early or on time. My writing process has improved with taking this class because I have actually taken time to figure out what I’m going to write about when it comes to the subject and I take care of the assignment in a timely manner. These essays all seem to me that they can be directed to the same audience and can be given with the same enthusiasm because they can be directed to some one in their 20s or 30s because it talks about taking an online courses along with other things along those lines. It would be a speech that I would defiantly be interested in because of how the person would talk to us also with the vocabulary they use because it wouldn’t be a speech that I couldn’t understand. When someone is trying to give a speech or write an essay its difficult when your trying to gauge what type of audience when they are giving a speech or when they are writing a essay trying to figure out if they covered all the important points that need to be covered and that is going to give you the best grade you can get with the course your taking either online or in a classroom. When you first start out with a paper you are a little unsure as to what you are trying to tie together in the very first paper you write but they you figure out what you need for the next couple papers and it gets a little easier for constructing the paper. Trying to get people interested in the subject you are writing or speaking about can be one difficult task because people tend to get bored very easy or they want to learn, about something different not the subject that you are talking about. Papers are what you seem to make them because you can either make them hard or you can make them easy on yourself. If you stress yourself out then you make it more difficult but if you make it easy by trying to take what time your given to make it a good paper. Making sure everything is in the right order that you professor will accept it a very big deal because they look for little mistakes and want you to do the best that you can when it come to the well being of your grade and your class. When you put it all together and present it to either your professor or your audience it can go either one of two ways good or bad. You can always hope it goes good but sometimes you can get some criticism when it comes to what was good and what was bad to your paper or speech. Just making sure everything is in order and how you want everything to be good.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Personal Narrative- Time Spent in Waiting Rooms :: Personal Narrative

Personal Narrative- Time Spent in Waiting Rooms As I get older there are a few things I’ve started to notice. One that really stands out is the amount of time I spend in waiting rooms. In my particular situation, I have an 85-year-old father, a wife, a fifteen-year-old son, four house cats, goats, horses, dogs, a few other relatives, and assorted other animals that turn up from time to time. My father, who has been a widower for several years, has a variety of ailments. Primary among these ailments are boredom and loneliness. When a person gets to his age all he can think about is "what hurts, how bad, if it hurts real bad will I wake up on the right side of the grass, and who will notice if I don’t." With each of these pains he thinks, "maybe I should see the doctor, I know he cares what side of the grass I wake up on, and he will alert my uncaring family to the gravity of the situation." Well, being almost blind he needs a driver. You can guess who that might be; it’s me, his uncaring son. So we go to the doctor, he gets my attention, and the doctors. I get stimulating conversation about hemorrhoids, in the waiting room. As I mentioned in the beginning, I also have my own oblivious 15-year-old son. Any of you privileged enough to have your own teenager will know that they think they can leap over a reasonably large building, and not get hurt. He’s bullet proof, just ask him. However, the other day Mr. Bulletproof decided to open a package of hot dogs with a foot long butcher knife. "Slice, and heigh-ho, heigh-ho, off to the waiting room we go." There is also in my life, my wife. Well, as far as that goes, I should leave it there. She just may read this sometime, and in case she is, "you know your never any trouble honey, and I am sure that accident was my fault." In fact, "I’m happy to wait for you in the waiting room." Then there are the animals. Just the sound of that last sentence, brings certain fears to my mind. An example of why occurred this summer. I was mowing hay, and low and behold what should appear out of the corner of my eye, but the dog. This dog had a mission and it started on the other side of the sickle bar mower. Personal Narrative- Time Spent in Waiting Rooms :: Personal Narrative Personal Narrative- Time Spent in Waiting Rooms As I get older there are a few things I’ve started to notice. One that really stands out is the amount of time I spend in waiting rooms. In my particular situation, I have an 85-year-old father, a wife, a fifteen-year-old son, four house cats, goats, horses, dogs, a few other relatives, and assorted other animals that turn up from time to time. My father, who has been a widower for several years, has a variety of ailments. Primary among these ailments are boredom and loneliness. When a person gets to his age all he can think about is "what hurts, how bad, if it hurts real bad will I wake up on the right side of the grass, and who will notice if I don’t." With each of these pains he thinks, "maybe I should see the doctor, I know he cares what side of the grass I wake up on, and he will alert my uncaring family to the gravity of the situation." Well, being almost blind he needs a driver. You can guess who that might be; it’s me, his uncaring son. So we go to the doctor, he gets my attention, and the doctors. I get stimulating conversation about hemorrhoids, in the waiting room. As I mentioned in the beginning, I also have my own oblivious 15-year-old son. Any of you privileged enough to have your own teenager will know that they think they can leap over a reasonably large building, and not get hurt. He’s bullet proof, just ask him. However, the other day Mr. Bulletproof decided to open a package of hot dogs with a foot long butcher knife. "Slice, and heigh-ho, heigh-ho, off to the waiting room we go." There is also in my life, my wife. Well, as far as that goes, I should leave it there. She just may read this sometime, and in case she is, "you know your never any trouble honey, and I am sure that accident was my fault." In fact, "I’m happy to wait for you in the waiting room." Then there are the animals. Just the sound of that last sentence, brings certain fears to my mind. An example of why occurred this summer. I was mowing hay, and low and behold what should appear out of the corner of my eye, but the dog. This dog had a mission and it started on the other side of the sickle bar mower.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

External/Internal Factors Paper Essay

The Frito-Lay is a worldwide recognized organization that began from the union of two companies in 1961. Within this organization, management has had to deal with internal and external factors that affect the four fundamental functions of management: planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Globalization, technology, innovation, diversity and ethics have also had their impact on the four functions of management in the Frito-Lay organization. Managers for the Frito-Lay organization have found ways to use delegation to manage the different factors and functions and perform in an effective and efficient way. The planning function of an organization is important because it involves determining the goals for the success of the company. An internal factor that may affect the planning function of management at the Frito Lay organization is attention to competitors. When Frito-Lay plans to incorporate new ideas and demands, they look to the competitors for insight of how to approach th ese new ideas in a positive and well-thought out process. According to Leyla Norman, â€Å"a hurried entrance into a new market can cost the company money in the long run and not make full use of managers’ planning abilities† (Norman, 2004). This means that if the Frito-Lay organization does not take the planning process into full advantage when rushing to compete with other companies, they could end up losing instead of gaining profits and customer preference. An external factor that could affect the planning function of management is the economy. While determining the goals of the organization, the economy plays large role. When the economy is not at a high point, planning within the Frito-Lay company may be â€Å"stopped, adjusted or taken in a new direction† (Norman, 2004). As the economy recovers planning may be resumed as needed. The organizing function of management involves â€Å"assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational and other resources needed to achieve goals† (Bateman & Snell, 2011). An internal factor that could affect the Frito-Lay company is a financial necessity. If funds are not  available to pursue and achieve the plans of the organization, then it could affect the realization of the goals for the company. An external factor that could affect the organizing function within the Frito-Lay company may be any new technological advance. If the Frito-Lay company is not up-to-date with their technological capabilities, this could affect the implementation of the goals mapped out in the planning function. The leading function is described by Bateman and Snell as â€Å"stimulating people to be high performers† (Bateman & Snell, 2011). A factor that could internally affect Frito-Lay management in the leading function could be lack of employee performance. If employees do not have the motivation to achieve the goals of the organization, the whole company could suffer. An external factor that could potentially affect the organization and management of Frito-Lay is ethical issues. When there are ethical issues outside of an organization, it could affect the company in a negative way. This could be a major reason that Frito-Lay creates opportunities and depends on the â€Å"minority and women-owned entrepreneurs (M/WBEs)† (Frito-Lay, 2014). In the controlling function of management, performance is closely monitored and changes are implemented as necessary. When employees deviate from the established performance standards, an internal factor that could affect the management function is a conflict of interest. When there are conflicts of interests, such as family relationships, it could internally affect the performance monitoring. An external factor that could affect the controlling factor in the Frito-Lay company could be labor laws. Although Frito-Lay has standards of performance and expectations, they must still comply with labor laws as they are established for the safety and security of employees. There are many internal and external factors that impact the leading function of management. One internal factor that impacts it is employee morale. â€Å"Morale is defined as the end result of many factors present in the workplace environment.† (Javitch, 2005). Morale can make or break any business. If your employees have poor morale, it will affect customer service and customer satisfaction which is the key component to businesses. Competition is an external factor that can impact the leading function of management. If there is an outside company that is doing better than yours, it can discourage employees and supervisors as well. This can lead to poor attitudes and morale in the workplace which then turns into  internal issues for that company. An internal factor that impacts the controlling function of management is technology. Having up to date technology can help improve things ranging from order accuracy to financial management which are both essential things for Frito-Lay as they are a very large corporation with consumers around the world. The economy is an external factor that impacts the controlling function of management. The economy affects their profitability and competition as well. The economy’s condition could potentially impact their sales and profitability. â€Å"Globalization is an elimination of barriers to trade, communication, and cultural exchange. The Theory behind globalization is that the worldwide openness will promote the inherent wealth of all nations.† (Jones, 2014). Globalization impacts all four functions of management. Globalization opens the doors for more business opportunities around the world and increases management globally. It allows production to increase and allows employees to transfer to other positions within the company to other locations around the world. Globalization also increases competition due to the increase in an increase in customer base. Larger customer bases increase the profitability of businesses. Not having globalization previously would decrease the values of products due to their limit of customers. It increases a company’s ability to compete worldwide instead of limiting it to its country of origin which also increases profitability. The four functions of management that are impacted in the technological sense would be planning, leading and controlling Utilizing the function of management process within the Frito-Lay’s organization has made it one of the most popular and long standing companies in the snack food industry. How they plan, organize, lead and control is important to the continued success of the organization. Because of the large scale volumes they have to produce and distribute efficiently and continuously to all their customers they have to utilize the planning process in order to stay in the competitive market they are in. They also have to look for new and better ways to process their product. Frito-Lay is in a competitive industry and they always need to know what technology is available to them that when used it saves cost and increases productivity. When implementing new technology you have to ensure that those leading and controlling the  employees have knowledge of the new technology. Frito-Lay also has to ensure that those operating or involved with the new equipment are trained well and capable of continuing to do the job they were previously doing, but better. When they implemented new packing equipment in their Kern County facility, they ensured that everyone was trained. Because the equipment was to eliminate jobs the managers communicated with the employees and assured them they would avoid lay-offs. (Mohsen & Grijalva, 2001). With the management functions used and a good management team in place they were able to implement the new equipment and improve productivity by 30% on the line. (Mohsen & Grijalva, 2001). Innovation is defined by Merriam-Webster as, â€Å"The act or process of introducing new ideas, devices and methods.† (Innovative, 2014) With innovation comes change. Since innovation has an impact on the leading and controlling portion of the functions of management, management has to have an open line of communication in order to hear new ideas that their employees may have. The more involved Frito-Lay allows their employees to be, the more opportunity they have to receive and enact their innovative ideas. It is important that an organization utilizes the knowledge and experience of their resources by encouraging them to change methods that may work better than what has been done in the past. Frito-Lay is a diverse organization with their workforce as well as the products they offer their customers. Diversity also impacts the leading and controlling functions of management. Communication and networking are important aspects of a diverse organization also, because they allow people to interact with others that they may not normally interact with. Diversity has allowed Frito-Lay to be successful in the global pursuit of introducing their products as well. When transitioning into another country they utilize someone that is familiar with the market and culture to ensure a smoother transition into that particular market. As far as the diversity of their products they are currently conducting a contest to find new flavors for their chips in an effort to diversify their product even further. With all the misconduct that occurs in the business world, ethics is an important factor that can impact all the functions of management. In all aspects an organization has to avoid unethical behavior within the business they conduct, how the deal and address their employees and customers. Because of the products that are available through Frito-Lay management has to concern  themselves with the employees behaving in an ethical manner as well. To ensure that the employees know and understand the ethical implications that can occur, they are required to attend an ethics course and sign a certification that they have done so on a yearly basis. Frito-Lay has to take all precautions in avoiding unethical behavior throughout their organization. The top managers over at Frito Lay © over see many parts of their overall organization. They continuously have to adapt to different factors that may arise, excel in efficiency, excel in effectiveness, and monitor daily operations. It would be almost impossible for one person to do all of these functions, while planning strategies for existing goals and new ones. In order for a manager to accomplish all of these objectives they must delegate their work to their subordinates. Using delegation has many advantages that help the mana ger and their subordinates. For top managers, they are able to take on more of the strategic planning of the company than the operational managing. The sixteen executive managers of Frito Lay © that oversee different divisions of the company cannot possibly specialize in each part of the department (Frito Lay 2014) They must delegate the work out to middle managers and line managers in order to complete operational tasks and planning. These levels of management have a more intimate knowledge of their division or department (Bateman 2011). A manager in marketing may have a clearer understanding of globalization and how to reach an international market. Managers in human resources or compliance will have a more precise view of ethical dilemmas could arise. Although upper management might be delegating out their work, they still have a final say on what choice to make. This makes the final responsibility land on the upper management. Managers must be adaptive to all the different factors that come up in business. The world market is a continuously changing and growing environment. In order for a business to survive in this environment the managers that are employed must recognize the issues that could arise and know how to adapt to them. External issues could range from global economic changes to environmental changes that limit resources. Some internal issues that should be considered could involve the growth of the company. Recognizing the company has out grown its current structure will allow managers to implement a new structure that will fit the growing company  better. Management will always need to know how to adapt to these changes as well consider them in their overall planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Changing environments can shift how a manager views their own organization and how it is standing up against its competition. Sometimes, though, management needs to use their most crucial resource as efficiently as possible. This resource would be time, and a manager needs to use this resource as wisely as possible. In order to free up managers they have to delegate their work amongst their subordinates. Delegating their work frees them up to make all of the important planning that will guide the organization to their next achievement.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Airborne: United States Postal Service and Express Mail

A five force analysis consists of five parts being threat of substitutes, ease of entry and exit, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and degree of rivalry. The threat of substitutes for Airborne, in the domestic express mail market, came from two other large firms Federal Express and the United Postal Service. FedEx, UPS, and Airborne together held an 85% market share. Fedex held roughly 45% of the domestic mail market and was considered the industry leader, however disputed. Their name was synonymous with sending something overnight.Almost like when at a restaurant we order a â€Å"coke†, no matter what the exact brand is the waitress will understand what we want. The United Parcel Service, UPS, was the largest package delivery company in the world and held a 25% market share of the domestic expedited mail service. Airborne was under the constant threat of substitutes, which were significant. The ease of entry and exit into the expedited mail delivery market is very difficult. Planes, trucks, personal, facilities, equipment all need to be in place before even one package is successfully delivered.Buyers had much bargaining power in that the three largest domestic expedited mail carriers each offered similar products, next morning delivery for time sensitive items. Price, reliability, access to tracking, customer service, and convince of drop-off locations were all things that the customer many times would consider before choosing their carrier. The bargaining power of suppliers was also strong. The physical delivery of the package was only a part of the services offered to customers.The major companies also made it possible to track packages en route, guarantee on time service, and even provide logistical consulting services. The degree of rivalry was very intense between these companies, in the early 1990’s industry observers called the competition between FedEx and Ups the â€Å"parcel war. † Each company would no t only match each other’s prices but also their technology and services Factor| Airborne| UPS| Fedex| Products Offered| 1| 2| 1| Target Customers| 1| 2| 2| Competitive Positioning| 3| 2| 1| Financial Performance| 1| 1| 1|Culture| 2| 1| 3| Land Ops| 2| 1| 1| Air Ops| 2| 1| 1| Marketing and Sales| 2| 1| 1| Customer Service| 1| 2| 2| IT| 3| 2| 1| Totals| 18| 14| 14| Lowest=Best Airborne is strong in its products offered in always seeming to be on the forefront and targeting customers efficiently. Unlike FedEx and UPS, Airborne owned the airport that served as its major hub in Wilmington, Ohio. As a result Airborne did not have to pay fees to the airport and could fix any obstacles that they came across at their own facility without having to consult with any outside parties.Airborne also differentiated by not having its own retail service centers and owning only a portion of their delivery vans. These were both cost saving differentiators, hiring independent contractors to picku p and delivery was 10% less expensive. Airborne did not market to the mass media instead they targeted the personal within companies who were in charge of logistics in order to obtain larger more profitable accounts. Providing flexible, custom solutions for their customers was also a difference in business plans that Airborne however FedEx and UPS also began to claim this.Ensure that Airborne survives and thrives in the future, the company would need to remain competitive with UPS and Fedex. Airborne’s relationship with RPS was beneficial because RPS had connections to the heart of UPS’s customer base in the form of large volume business customers. The physical distribution of Airborne and RPS were completely separate. To survive, I would suggest that Airborne form a stronger relationship not just sharing of marketing and shipping information. How and why has the express mail industry structure evolved in recent years?How have the changes affected small competitors? Th e US express mail industry is highly consolidated. 85% of the market is served by 3 service providers. There are six second tier players who serve the remaining 15%. FedEx and UPS lead the industry in services and innovation. The following trends have been observed in this Industry. Services: A host of services are provided to suit the needs to different businesses. Overnight shipping and next-morning delivery are most popular amongst other services like next-afternoon delivery and second day service.Same-day and early-next morning services are even costlier. Shipment volumes have risen over the decade however the rise in revenues has not been complimentary, due to falling prices. Customers: it is imperative for businesses to facilitate fast information dissemination. Express mails have provided a medium for establishing this. All businesses and individuals today use this service. Contrary to the traditional belief, items being shipped are high value compared to high weight. These i tems are time-sensitive. Customers have different criteria's to decide which service provider to use.With advancements in technology, this industry has become highly automated, there by providing better customer service with relation to parcel tracking, pick up services etc. The decision matrix generally includes brand name, reliability, price, customer service etc. Customers are generally not loyal as switching costs are negligible. Operations: Most players use the hub-and-spoke model. Major hubs act as collecting grounds for mail from all over America. The mails are then sorted and then sent off to respective destinations.Priority is given to early-next and next-morning mails. Planes land and take off all through the night. Capital expenditure related to a hub is extremely high. Both FedEx and UPS emphasize on improving the sorting capacity†¦ Airborne Express grew very rapidly in the late 1990’s, outperforming both of its main rivals, FedEx and UPS. When evaluating the success of Airborne, it is evident that the organization employed a strategy of low cost leadership, utilizing tactics surrounding efficiencies, cost reductions, market focus, and rigid budgeting.Early in its history, the company targeted a certain market, primarily businesses that shipped large volumes of urgent items to other businesses. This focus allowed Airborne to avoid markets of marginal value. In addition, Airborne retained cost minimization in key functional areas such as technology, marketing, and overhead. Airborne was very selective in their investment in technology and innovation, allowing first adapters to pave the way. The automation they did provide, such as FOCUS and the electronic submission of shipping information, saved money on labor y reducing manual data entry requirements. Also, Airborne did not advertise in mass media, but rather targeted selective logistics managers of major shippers, creating a courting style sales environment (Airborne, p. 12). This all owed for long term partnerships with repeat business. Overhead was kept around 30% less than main rivals. These types of actions, among others performed by Airborne, all point to low cost leadership. When analyzing the role of resources in the firm, Airborne has strong tangible, intangible, and capability resources in their favor.For example, Airborne owned the airport that served as its major hub, including the warehouses that surrounded the airport, which they leased to business customers (Airborne, p. 11). In addition, Airborne owned a fleet of 175 aircraft, although used; they provided Airborne the opportunity to personalize the outfitting of each aircraft to their cargo needs. Airborne also owned a portion of its delivery trucks, using independent contractors to provide balance on labor costs, fuel, and truck maintenance. A lack of unions in the hub also kept labor costs down.A niche market of large corporate clients with solid sales relationships was among the capability resou rces. Along with a large amount of equity and cash, Airborne was situated to be a very strong company. While there are many threats to the sustainability of low cost leadership, one of the biggest threats is imitation, especially in businesses using the internet (DLE, p. 177). Airborne, due to its business model, was both subject to and immune to this threat. Because it waited for others to test new technologies first, Airborne reaped the benefits of rivals work.For example, Airborne created a software system, its Freight On-Line Control and Update System (FOCUS), which imitated Federal Express’ COSMOS, and allowed customers to trace packages themselves rather than rely on company representatives. Because Airborne tailored its innovation practices after already successful programs, they challenged rivals sustainability in the market. On the other hand, Airborne also developed new technologies, like those associated with Xerox scanning and delivery, which gave Airborne the abi lity to deliver Xerox packages before 8AM.This method was easily imitated by FedEx and UPS, which enabled the rivals to provide the same service to their entire customer base, instead of just one client. Airborne was unable to capitalize on the technological advancement after the initial introduction, and therefore, suffered a low cost leadership sustainability threat. ————————————————- Basic Information of  Airborne Express Case Number: 9-798-070 Author: Jan W. Rivkin Publisher: Harvard Business Publishing Year: Feb 5, 1998 Course Category: Strategy ————————————————-Case Summary  of Airborne Express 1997: Airborne Express quarterly revenues up by 29%, and YTD net earnings ad increased by more than 500%. Third largest player in express mail industry. Boost fr om the recent strike at rival UPS. Fastest growing company in the industry, but thin margins. Federal Express had recently raised prices. †¢ Previous year: Fed Ex and UPS launched new services and pricing schemes o UPS moved to distance-based pricing, with prices raised on long-distance shipments, lowered on short-distance shipments. Fed Ex followed suit in 1997. Would Airborne? The Express Mail Industry in the United States: Services provided include: physical shipment of packages, shipment tracking, on-time service guarantees, customs clearance expedition, warehousing services, logistics consulting services †¢ Customers: o Businesses In industries such as financial services and consulting, express mail had become the standard means of delivering docs o Typical shipments: business docs, electronic components, medical samples, and replacement parts. o Customer base broadening. Portion of goods considered perishable or time-sensitive increasing over time. Acceleration in th e pace of business increased express volume shipped by each customer. Main consideration factors when deciding whether to ship an item express mail were urgency of shipment and price Carrier selection based off of relative price, carrier reliability, brand name, tracking capabilities, customer service, drop-off convenience, and/or habit. Discounts based on volume encouraged customers to focus on one carrier. However, customers tend not to be loyal when a contract expires. †¢ Operations: 1. Large fleet of vans and drivers. Drivers leave central depot and collect packages. At point of pick up, hand-held computer used to scan the package’s barcode and enter package data.Data transferred to central computer, which determined routing. Package scanned at each subsequent transfer points so that the company could track its progress. 2. Packages driven to airport, placed in containers, which were, in turn, placed on company-operated cargo planes. Upon landing at airport, usually around 11 pm, crew, using special equipment, unloaded plane in 20 minutes. Second crew simultaneously servicing plane in prep for outbound flight. 3. Cargo containers taken to hangar, where packages are sorted according to final destination. Labor-intensive.Once sorted, packaged placed in containers and loaded onto planes. Planes typically depart from 3 am – 4 am. Planes landed around 6 am at destination airports. 4. Packages unloaded, distributed to vans, and delivered to final destinations. †¢ Lower-priority packages follow slightly different route – more likely to travel by truck rather than air. †¢ Heavy investment in large hub facilities, air and ground fleets. †¢ Devoted to customer service and sophisticated information systems. †¢ Competition: †¢ Domestic Express Mail Market: 3 major players = Fed Ex, UPS, Airborne Express, serving ; 85% of the market. nd tier players: BAX Global, DHL Worldwide Express, Emery Worldwide, Roadway Package S ystem, TNT Express Worldwide, US Postal Service. †¢ US Postal Service served much of the remaining 15% of the market, popular due to the convenience of the post office to residential customers. However, prohibited by law from offering volume discounts to business customers. Also, could not track packages efficiently, and poor delivery record. †¢ DHL, TNT focused on international market. o DHL offered extensive service in hard-to-reach areas of the globe. Required knowledge of customs procedures and officials to clear customs quickly.Not heavily invested in domestic capabilities. †¢ BAX Global, Emery focused on heavy cargo †¢ RPS focused on 2-day delivery via a ground network, targeting price-sensitive business customers. Known for efficient ground transport and sophisticated IT. †¢ Fax, email †¢ Compete on multiple fronts, including prices, products, and customer service Major Competitors †¢ Federal Express o 45% domestic express mail market o Hist ory: Invented the industry. Prior to founding, express deliveries flew as freight in holds of passenger planes. Frederick Smith, proposed an airline dedicated solely to express delivery of mail.Argued airlines designed to carry passengers suboptimal for carrying express mail. Any route acceptable for a package as long as it arrives on time. Hub-and-spoke routing more efficient for express mail. Packages would be collected at a single airport, sorted, and sent to their destinations. 1971, Federal Express incorporated. Target market focused on small packages, which were largely ignored by other air carriers. High barriers to entry: assembling fleet of jets, constructing a hub in Memphis, securing initial customers, and gaining governmental approval in highly regulated airline industry.Service started in April, 1973. 1983, reached $1 billion in revenue, the first company to do so within 10 years of start up, without acquisition. o Technology: COSMOS, central computer system, coordinate d vehicles, people, packages, routes, and weather information. Supertrackers used by couriers to enter in package info Digitally Assisted Dispatch System (DADS) directed couriers to pickup locations and uploaded info from Supertrackers to COSMOS Gave customers Powership computer terminals and shipping software to prepare shipping paperwork, streamline billing, and track shipments. www. fedex. com o Marketing ; SalesAggressive marketing led to widely recognized mottoes High advertising expenditures + sales reps + money-back guarantee o People ; Culture â€Å"People, Service, Profit†¦When people are placed first, they will provide the highest possible service, and profits will follow. † Promoted from within. No layoffs policy. Cross-trained employees and cultivated a large part-time workforce. Extensive employee-training programs Employees given wide latitude to make decisions on their own. Expected to take risks and resolve problems on own. Emphasis on communication. â₠¬ ¢ FXTV broadcast daily company news, weather conditions, competition info, etc.Formal compensation system. Managers’ incentive pay based on performance against negotiated objectives, employee satisfaction playing a significant role. Hourly workers were also eligible for bonuses. o International Ventures 1985, Fred Smith’s vision of global delivery of express mail. However, expensive. 1992, overseas operating losses topped $600 million, so company scaled back. Relied on partner companies to complete deliveries. †¢ United Parcel Service (UPS) o Largest package delivery company in the world, but most volume not express mail, traveled via ground network. History Founded in 1907 as a messenger service. Repositioned itself as the delivery arm of major department stores. 1950s: automobile ownership widespread, retail stores moved to suburbs. Repositioned again around â€Å"common carrier† service to deliver parcels in general, not just department store deliverie s, by truck. Only reached goal of complete national coverage in 1980s, due to legal and regulatory battles to deliver within and between states. 1953, coupled ground network with cargo services of major airlines to offer two-day delivery service. 1981, purchases first aircrafts. 987, took direct control of all air operations. USPS viewed as main rival. Focused on reducing costs since rates were highly regulated. Charged single price to all customers. Saved money by picking up at company’s convenience and not investing in collecting info (could not track packages easily). Late 1980s/early 1990s, refocused around customer service and invested in aircrafts, sorting infrastructure, and technology, in order to compete with Fed Ex. Radically and successfully restructured. o Operations: Hub in Louisville, KY, with 5 regional air hubs around the US.Speculated that UPS’ sorting and routing facilities were highly automated and employed the latest technology. Single fleet of truc ks handled pickup and delivery of all UPS shipments. o Technology: determined to match Fed Ex’s information collection capabilities, invested $3 billion in advanced technology between 1990 and 1995. Resulted in ability to track packages efficiently, deliver electronic proof of delivery, and offer money-back guarantee of on-time delivery. Internet site rivaled Fed Ex’s o Marketing ; Sales: No marketing department before 1980, with little to no advertising 1996, spent 80% more on media than Fed Ex People ; Culture: â€Å"owned by managers and managed by owners;† privately owned, with stock issued to company managers, and, as of 1995, nonmanagement employees as well. Promote from within The Policy Book, emphasized management by consensus and an ethic of humility High wages kept labor-management relationships good. †¢ 1997, drivers among best paid, largely in part to union involvement. 16-day labor strike flooded competitors business. Resolution favored labor, with an increase in full-time positions, as well as full-time and part-time wages over a five-year period.Ramifications of strike included $700 million in lost revenue and poor reputation for absolute reliable delivery. o International Operations: Invested heavily in developing global distribution network, and, even with high operating losses, seemed committed. Airborne Express: †¢ Often overlooked, but growing faster than competitors in mid-1990s, with 16% of domestic express mail market in 1997. †¢ History: o 1968, The Airborne Flower Traffic Association of California (shipped fresh flowers from Hawaii to mainland) and Pacific Air Freight (delivered perishables to/from Alaska) merged to form Airborne Freight Corporation.Prior to Fed Ex, most successful in express mail industry. o Target: business customer that regularly shipped a large volume of urgent items, primarily to other business locations. Example: Xerox †¢ Operations: o Owned airport that served a major hub . Did not pay landing fees and no obstacles to tailoring the facility to its needs. However, did need to maintain airport itself, and did not share expenses with other airlines. o Leased warehouse space on airport property (Fed Ex and UPS offered warehousing options as well, bot not onsite at airport) o Sorting operations less automated, more human labor-intensive.Unions represented app. Half of workforce, including all pilots. o Fleets consisted primarily of used aircraft, built in 1960s and 1970s. Patented cargo containers did not require cargo door. Aircraft run app. 80% full (vs. competitors 65-70%). Costs of flight did not vary by amount of cargo carried. o Shippers and recipients concentrated in metropolitan areas. o Greater portion of volume = afternoon and second-day deliveries, so could use trucks more than competitors (30% volume never on plane, vs Fed Ex’s 15%).. Cost of a truck 1/3 that of aircraft. Unlike competitors, did not maintain retail service centers and o wned/operated only a portion of its delivery vans. Independent contractors 60-65% volume, and 10% less expensive than company-owned pick up and delivery. †¢ Technology: o Invested selectively. Let competitors test innovations and introduced themselves if clear benefit derived. o Freight On-Line Control and Update System (FOCUS) comparable to Fed Ex’s COSMOS o Offered high-volume shippers software which tied directly into FOCUS, allowing customers to track packages and to submit shipping info themselves as opposed to engaging service agents. Website not as comprehensive as competitors †¢ Marketing ; Sales: o Did not advertise in mass media. Targeted logistics managers of major shippers via sales force. o Known for low prices o Mid-1990s, â€Å"the flexible, solution-oriented express carrier† with an ability to tailor its services to needs of large business customers. However, Fed Ex and UPS offered 8 am service to any customer for a surcharge, as well as claim ed to be able to tailor services to customer needs too. †¢ People ; Culture: o Humility †¢ International Operations: o More modest than Fed Ex and UPS. Used commercial airlines and local partners to complete shipments †¢ RPS Relationship o RPS targeted the ground transport needs of large-volume business customers, whittling at UPS customer base. Offered low prices, superior info and tracking capabilities. Tried to intro air operations, but folded after large losses. o Companies’ physical distribution systems remained separate. Cooperation in marketing process and sharing of shipment info. However, hinted at a closer alliance. Airborne’s Future: †¢ Postal Service had performed well during UPS strike and success seemed to reawaken its ambitions.Planned major advertising blitz to promote express services. Petitioning government to grant volume discounts. †¢ UPS was expected to make play to recoup volume. †¢ UPS strike had shaken customers loy alty to a single company for shipping needs. ————————————————- Case Analysis  of Airborne Express 1. How and why has the structure of the express mail industry evolved in recent years? How have the changes affected small competitors? How has the rivalry between FedEx and UPS impacted them and the rest of the industry? Business and individuals spent $16-17 billion on express mail within the US in 1996.Shipment volumes had risen 15-20% per year for a decade. Services had proliferated by delivery time. Service is not limited to physical delivery. It also includes warehouseing services and logistics consulting services. Express Mail Industry: 1. 16-17 billion on expedited shipments in US in 1996. 2. Shipment volumes had risen 15-20% per year for a decade. 3. Services had proliferated by delivery time. 4. Service is not limited to physical delivery. It also includes tracking services, warehouseing services, logistics consulting services and expedited customs clearance for international shipments. . Shipping companies competed on the basis of time-to-market, eg. Increased volume shipped by and to each customer. 6. Customers’ concern when choose a shipping service includes price, reliability, brand name, access to tracking, customer service, convenience of drop-off, and sheer habit. 7. Shipping companies owns vans, drivers, and aircrafts. They have hub airports. They employ the advanced logistic technology. 8. FedEx, UPS and Airborne were the Big Three in the industry, together served more than 85% of the market. 9. Invested in global distribution system. 10.Originally set one price for every customer, evolved into distance pricing (ie. Lower prices for shorter distance deliveries) Different company target different markets. To survive, small company must find their differentiation in the industry (ie. DHL specialized in international shipping; RPS specialized in ground transport 2 day deliveries). FedEx: overnight delivery; cutting-edge information and logistic technology; Hubs; customer self help; aggressive marketing strategy; no layoff policy; great customer services; employee’s wide latitude of decision making; incentive pay; employ both part time and full time; international expansion.UPS: ground services; largest delivery company in the world; followed FedEx to purchase their own aircraft; started to advertising; stock owned by managers and not for public trade; employ both part time and full time; international operation. â€Å"Parcel Wars† – Fedex and UPS copied and tried to beat each other in pricing, products and services. When one lowered prices, the other followed and created some other promotion to outdo the offer. As a result, small companies need to find their specialty in the market. They will also have employ advanced technology and logistic system and provide great/special customer serv ices. . How has Airborne survived, and recently prospered, in this industry? Airborne targeted the business customer that regularly shipped a large volume of urgent items, primarily to other business locations (mainly 50 metroplitans). They were known for their low prices. They cut cost in many ways: having their own airport; leasing warehouse space to customers; hiring part-time employee; purchasing used aircrafts; load more per flight than rivals; no retail service center; using independent contractors; a little bit late delivery time; no advertising; picking the technology after FedEx and UPS tested.They provided flexible, solution oriented service to customers. 3. Quantify Airborne’s sources of advantage. †¢ Part-time salary is 7/hour, compared to FedEx’s 8/hour. †¢ Run aircraft 80% full, compared to typically 65-70%. †¢ 80-85% of the volume was shipped to 50 metropolitan, compared to FedEx’s 60% †¢ 30% of the volume was not shipped by ai rplanes, compared to FedEx’s 15%. †¢ The cost of a running a truck is 1/3 of the cost of owning and operating a similar amount of aircraft capacity. Use of independent contractors accounted for 60-65% of volume – using contractors cost them 10% less than doing work themselves. †¢ No advertising cost. †¢ Drivers picked up more parcels than Fedex resulting in lower labor costs per unit by 20% for pickup and 10% for delivery. †¢ Besides, owning their own airport would a big advantage in control and operating cost. 4. What must Robert Brazier, Airborne’s President and COO, do in order to strengthen the company’s position? Provider recommendations that will strengthen Airborne’s position in this industry.Evidently, Airborne needs to employee advanced technology and explore the global business. Robert Brazier needs to make sure that Airborne will still hold their advantages in the global business. 5. In retrospect, we know that Airbor ne’s position was not sustainable and the company was acquired by DHL. What were early clues about the lack of Airborne’s sustainability? Will the DHL/Airborne combination be an effective competitior against FedEx and UPS? One early clue – less efficient that Fedex/UPS in on-time deliveries. Should have invested more in technology. Lack of global vision/awareness.Inability to adapt to market – 80% of volume delivered to major metropolitan areas, not servicing ALL customers. Did not take full advantage of opportunity with RPS deal – kept arms length deal. Should have leveraged relationship to increase technology and cust base to gain market share. The DHL/Airborne combination could be an effective competitor again FedEx and UPS, although they have their own specialty and targeting markets. DHL does well in the international market, but its domestic business is not strong. Airborne and DHL could be a strong plus to each other.