How is the theme of childhood presented Essay

The Romantic era ushered in a whole new way in which children were perceived. Romantics did not believe in the â€Å"Seen but not heard† attitude towards children. The Romantics often busied themselves trying to understand what made a man, what shaped a person’s personality to create the adult. Three poems in The Lyrical Ballads, all by Wordsworth, deal exclusively with the theme of childhood. They are We are Seven, Anecdote for Fathers and The Idiot Boy. A famous quote by philosopher Jean-Jacques Rosseau states that â€Å"Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains†. By this he meant that we are all born without any laws or morality and that these are ideals we gain only as we age and get exposed to them by society. This sentiment is reflected in the aforementioned poems, as this belief is one of the reasons children were so celebrated by the Romantic movement, they were untainted by the societal rules forced upon them, and so were a part of nature in a way an adult could not be. In We are Seven, Wordsworth relates a conversation between the poem’s narrator and a young girl. The young girl claims to have sixth brothers and sisters, however she says that two of them are dead. Despite the narrator’s attempts to convince her that makes only four brothers and sisters, five overall, he eventually concedes that is â€Å"Throwing words away† as the girl is not able to truly comprehend the realities of death. In this poem Wordsworth juxtaposes the cynicism of the narrator’s view of death with the innocence of the young girl’s view. The narrator’s view is that although she did have six brothers and sisters, she now only has four. The girl’s brother and sister are no longer alive and thus cannot be considered human, and equally can no longer be the girl’s brother and sister in any real sense, so he only recognises her as having four siblings. The girl however does not see death in that manner. Although she is aware that they are dead, she is not able to properly understand what this means. As the author says â€Å"What should it know of death? † To her, even though they are dead, they are still her brother and sister, just as much as her others and so she sees herself as one of seven children. In the poem Wordsworth gives a vivid description of the girl, referring to her as â€Å"rustic† and having a â€Å"Woodland air†, which overtly links her to nature. The fact that the narrator says that her beauty â€Å"makes me glad† shows that Wordsworth is indirectly calling the girl, her innocence and nature, which the girl is close to, a wonderful thing which should be celebrated. Both The Idiot Boy and Anecdote for Fathers deal with the imagination. In Anecdote for Fathers the narrator asks his son whether he prefers their home at Kilve or Liswyn Farm. The child clearly has never contemplated this, however as his father originally praises Kilve more than Liswyn Farm, he says that he prefers Kilve, as he believes that is what his father wants to hear. His father however questions his answer, which the child is not prepared for. Looking around in panic he sees a weather vane and responds with â€Å"At Klive there was no weather-cock, and that’s the reason why†. The narrator is ecstatic with his son’s answer, as he sees his son’s ability to imagine an innocent answer so easily. The father wishes that he could â€Å"Teach the hundredth part of what from thee I learn† The tone of excitement in the father’s response seems to stem from Wordsworth lamenting the fact that although he is able to understand how children are able to use their imagination in such ways, he is unable to mimic them, as he has already succumbed to the social ideals. In The Idiot Boy Wordsworth the effect of society on an adult by comparing the imagination of a child and his mother. In this poem a woman, Betty, is caring for her sick friend, Susan. Although Susan requires urgent medical care, Betty cannot leave her alone in her state, so she sends Johnny, the â€Å"Idiot Boy†, her mentally handicapped son. She gives him very clear instructions that he is to go straight to the doctor and straight back and not stop. Hours later he has not returned and Betty begins to worry about â€Å"sad mischances, not a few†. In the end Betty decides to go and look for him. As she is out calling his name, she starts to imagine her son being dead or hurt based on what she sees. For example when she sees a pond she imagines that her son may have drowned in it. Eventually she discovers that Johnny is safe and well, and has merely been playing for hours, imagining himself picking stars out of the sky, being a hunter and being a warrior. The contrast between the imagination of a child, with an extra layer of innocence due to his mental handicap, and his mother is incredibly stark. While Johnny’s imagination has kept him content for hours, Betty’s has, in a shorter space of time, made her start to contemplate suicide due to the grief it instilled within her. We then find that Susan has recovered for exactly the same reason that Betty felt such despair, all she was able to think about were horrible ways in which Betty and Johnny could’ve been hurt and was able to draw strength from her sadness at being unable to help. In the end, when asked what he had been doing for hours, Johnny merely replies â€Å"The cocks did crow to-whoo, to-whoo, and the sun did shine so cold†. Wordsworth called this response Johnny’s â€Å"glory†, which very accurately sums up the Romantic ideal of childhood and innocence being a thing to cherish, which was one of the messages Wordsworth and Coleridge tried to present with the Lyrical Ballads.

Globalisation and the Nation-State

Emerging nations such as China and India have also allowed companies to reduce production costs and target wider developing consumers. With these opportunities and with many of the other opportunities surrounding globalization economics now look at the economy on a lobar scale as opposed to a national scale which has led to conflicting perspectives on the use of the nation-state.As early as 1969 economics such as Charles Kindergà ¤rtner sparked the perspective that â€Å"the nation state Is Just about through as an economic unit† (Eagleburger 1969: 207) The following essay will look at globalization in terms of the economy and look at two of these businesses currently operating globally to see if the role of the individual nation-state government remains vital despite the trend towards globalization. Firstly one must define what libations actually Is and what type of organizations qualifies as a ‘global company.Researchers suggest that globalization is ‘one of the most misused and one of the most confused words around today (Dickens, 2007). Globalization is a widely used term that has no simple definition; Instead researchers suggest that the word has become a ‘convenient summary term' used by many to ‘bundle together virtually all the goods and bad facing contemporary societies' (Dickens, 2007). There is one definition that most globalizes will agree upon and that's that it is a â€Å"process by which the experience of everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and Ideas, Is becoming standardized around the world. In terms of the economic globalization that essay will be concentrating on, â€Å"Globalization Is a level of economic activity that has outgrown national markets through industrial combinations and commercial groupings that cross national frontiers, and international agreements that allow businesses to operate Internationally† (Hirsh, 1996) Lloyd TTS Is one company that can be defined as a global or ganization. Lloyd TTS Is an International bank that's part of Lloyd banking group. Its head office is in London and it originated in 1745 as a personal banking service with one single office in Birmingham.In the 1 sass Lloyd began to expand offices through Europe, India and South America. In the late sass's Lloyd acquired other International businesses and soon had hundreds of offices in over 50 different countries. McDonald's is a fast food restaurant. It was formed in 1948 in California and is currently the largest fast food restaurant In the world. It currently has 31,000 restaurants in 118 countries. Macdonald has become global as more than 75% of McDonald's restaurants relied are owned as a franchise.Both companies are huge global companies that are as successful as they are as they view the world as one place and not in terms of nation-state governments. Although both companies are similar In the sense that they operate globally they are both very different organizations. Lloy d TTS began in the UK and have bought other companies and diversified to gain its global recognition. McDonald's however, 1 OFF operates In ten T sector Ana stall manly operates alertly In ten A It galena global standing by franchising the brand and the products across the worldThere are also other key differences between the companies. As well as operating in different economic sectors, Researchers suggest that although both organizations operate as transnational organizations their global operations are completely different. Lloyd TTS is a ‘global organization' as its overseas operations are delivery of the same service to Just different consumers, whilst the same researchers would describe McDonald's as a ‘Multinational Organization' as it views much of its overseas operations as a portfolio of independently run businesses (Bartlett, 2000)On both Lloyd TTS and McDonald's there are major influences affecting them as they operate in the globalizes economy. Globalization and international companies arriving in individual national-states have always been met with a mixture of positive and negative opinions due to the instant challenge it brings to the uses and the very existence of the nation-state. There are currently 194 individual nation-states in the world (Rosenberg, 2009). Each state has its own common culture and has its own way of governing its state.With new technologies, transportation and communications and the fact that organizations are now creating a standardized way of living it can be assumed that the power and control once held by the nation-state is being severely reduced. Due to the claims by theorists such as Kindergà ¤rtner (1969) there has been much debate sparked into the existence of the nation-state and the uses of globalization. In the globalization debate there are three conflicting perspectives on the uses of the nation-state.The first perspective is that of the Hyper-Globalizes, who argue that we live in a borderless wo rld and the nation- state is no longer relevant. The Hyper- Globalizes view globalization as a new development and suggest that the world's cultures and experiences are becoming homogeneous through standardized global products. The second opinion is the ‘Skeptical Internationalists' who accept that globalization exists however believe that it's not new and the grounding globalizes who believe that quantitative date is Just as important as qualitative date in the debate.According to Dickens (2007:IPPP) the roles of the nation-state in the contemporary global economy has four key roles; containers of institutions and cultures, regulators of economic activities, competitors with other states and elaborators with other states and when globalization intrudes these roles its often met with a degree of negativity Lloyd TTS and McDonald's are diversifying into these individual nation-states and as a result are sometimes met with this negativity and political concern targeted towards t he hyper-globalizes perspective.These companies and most of the companies that are isolating are often from Western dominated economies and arrive with western values and cultural interests. Hilton (1998) suggests that one of the main negative impacts on these organizations and libations in general is that they are incorporating third world and developing economies into the global economy only as ‘passive consumers of standardized products and nothing more' suggesting that although these companies are operating globally the economic wealth and growth still lives within its original national economy which widens the gap between the rich and poor countries.Omaha (1995) considers the ‘standardization of culture' as a negative impact on globalization. These Uninominal nation-states Tanat companies Like Lloyd Dank Ana c an ass are penetrating have individual cultural values and beliefs. Both companies are bringing their Western cultural values into these individual nations an d creating a standardized culture within. McDonald's for example has a very western cultural style to its food, items on its menu such as ‘French fries' and ‘hamburgers' are very much western orientated foods.The very way in which McDonald's delivers its food in fast food restaurants, through American style diners and drive trough's again reflect the western cultural values which are now being adapted and ‘standardized' around the world. Omaha (1995) suggests that these changes can be seen as negative impacts and are seen as a challenge to the importance and use of a nation-state if the world is starting to live in a standardized way.There are many negative opinions in the role of the nation-state debate and evidence to suggest that we are beginning to live in a homogeneity environment however, there have been many recent events that have shown that despite the trend to globalization the nation-state is still vital and that we do not live in a homogeneity world. On e recent event that's affected nearly everyone is the global recession or the ‘Credit Crunch' the world is currently experiencing.The Credit Crunch can be defined as â€Å"a severe shortage of money or credit† (BBC, BBC NEWS, 2009) and is caused by banks not lending out money. Lloyd TTS is one of many financial institutions affected in the credit crunch due to the very nature of the business and the fact that deregulation in the global financial economy allowed banks to lend money in insecure ‘lax' borrowers, especially in the American mortgage economy Where billions of dollars was invested into mortgages made available to sub-prime borrowers (people with bad credit rating, no Jobs, no repayment amounts) at a low interest rate.When interest rates started to increase people began to default on borrowings which meant the value of these investments plummeted resulting in huge losses for banks globally (Badmouth, 2009), including Lloyd TTS. As a result of this lax len ding Lloyd and many other global banks were forced to write off millions of pounds of debts. Lloyd were ‘left 250 million short' (BBC 2007) which left them at a huge loss and unconfined to lend out more money. As a result of the financial difficulties Lloyd were forced to make over two thousand people redundant and were left to turn to the nation-state for help.In terms of the nation-sate debate it's evident in economic downturns such as the global ‘credit crunch' and the current recession the nation-state is vital for companies such as Lloyd to survive. The British government used tax-payers funds to ‘bail' out the bank by supplying them with over a billion pounds worth of investment. McDonald's, operating in a completely different economic sector completely survived the economic downturn as people looked to them for a cheap source of food and drink.McDonald's made a profit through the economic downturn and look set to do the same this year (McDonald's. Com 2009). Further to the debate that we do not live in a homogeneity world is the fact that states regulate trade, foreign investment and industry and each state takes an individual stance on how they do this. Policies towards imports and exports are individual in every state and McDonald's and Lloyd TTS have to comply with these policies in each individual state.

Factors of Suspense in the Most Dangerous Game Essay

Suspense is what makes a story popular because it is interesting to read. Suspense is used in most stories to make the plot interesting. There are several factors that generate suspense in the story The Most Dangerous Game produced by Richard Connell. The use of pauses by punctuations, recurring vivid imagery, and the dialogue itself helped create mystery and suspense. These are just a few of the many ways that Richard Connell used to make the reader lust for emotionally satisfying events. The use of pauses by punctuations is a writing style used by Richard Connell to help generate suspense. In the story, wanted information is sometimes delayed by action. For example, in the conversation by Rainsford and General Zaroff, the information is often delayed by the author. â€Å"The General took from his pocket a gold cigarette case†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Richard Connell, 7) This action happened when the general stated that hunting tigers ceased to interest him. The author delayed the wanted information when Rainsford was obviously curious to know what animal the General hunts. Furthermore, Richard Connell also frequently used a dash ( — ) during a conversation. The dash showed that the talking character may be interrupted by an action or to the least that the author wanted to accentuate the words after the dash. The conversing characters may have been opening a door or even using hand gestures during the conversation to help emphasize their point. Whatever it may be, the author used this technique to slightly delay the information which causes the reader to try and visualize the character during the conversation which also produces mystery and suspense. An example is the conversation of Rainsford to his friends in the beginning of the story. As one of his friends suggested â€Å"The Place has a reputation—a bad one.†(Whitney, 1) Though writing style alone does not generate enough tension to make the reader crave for the wanted information. Richard Connell also used vivid imagery in order to make the story more interesting. While reading the story, the reader may notice that the author used similarly colored objects for the imagery. Throughout the story, a red colored imagery is used constantly. The first use of the red image was when Rainsford was wandering around the ship trap island. â€Å"†¦; one patch of weeds was stained crimson,† (Richard Connell, 4) This quote alone provided enough mystery and suspense to make the reader wonder. Reddish images were also used all throughout the story. From the blood-warm waters, to the part where they drank borsch; a red Russian soup, they drank port; a type of red liquor and the General gave Rainsford a red lipped-smile, the constant use of the red imagery portents and highlights a murderous and bloodlust filled atmosphere which in turn, generates anxiety of the reader for Rainsford. The reader may have even begun to suspect that something supernatural is to happen such as the General to be Count Dracula. Furthermore, the author also used dark images throughout the story. While Rainsford was still boarding the yacht, Rainsford described the fog with the words â€Å"Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.†(Rainsford, 1) Especially that Rainsford’s companions described that they could feel evil surrounding Ship Trap Island as if it was tangible. Also, when Rainsford found Zaroff’s villa or castle, the author gave this scene a very dark imagery. The bleak darkness, the shadows, the gargoyle, and even Ivan’s astrakhan clothing echoed an evil and mystery filled atmosphere to the story. A reader with no clue about the story’s plot may think that the story’s protagonist accidentally stumbled upon Transylvania. Although imagery delivers a lot of suspense, it is still not enough to satisfy the author’s desire to fill the story with thrill. The dialogue itself is one of the main contributors for suspense in the story. Even when the protagonist was still onboard the yacht, the author tried to build up as much suspense as possible. â€Å"The place has a reputation—a bad one.†(Whitney, 1); said by one of Rainsford’s friends. This alone persuades the reader to ask themselves to what is so special about Ship Trap Island. Also, during Rainsford’s conversation with Zaroff, Zaroff explained to Rainsford that he has recreated hunting. â€Å"Here in my preserve on this island †¦ I hunt more dangerous game.†(Zaroff, 7) Again, just as Rainsford, the author made the readers desire and lust for the answer to the mystery. This quote helped the cause of building suspense. Moreover, during the hunt, whenever Rainsford managed to make the General retreat, Zaroff stated that â€Å"†¦ I shall be back.†(Zaroff, 17) To make things worse, after his second retreat, â€Å"†¦ Ill see what you can do against my whole pack†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Zaroff, 17) What’s gonna happen to Rainsford? How is he going to escape Zaroff? These are just the types of questions that the reader might have asked themselves. To hunt or to be hunted, and only the strongest will survive, this is the logic behind the madness of this monstrous persona. Ironic as it is that Rainsford is also a hunter, now he is the mouse and Zaroff is the cat. Also, as the story is about over, Rainsford managed to ambush Zaroff in his room. â€Å"I’m still a beast at bay† (Rainsford, 20), Rainsford stated to Zaroff, as soon as the reader discovers this; their lust for the emotionally satisfying ending kicks in. Who would win the final fight? Even in the end, Richard Connell still gave us something to think about when Zaroff, who used to be the hunter, switches roles with Rainsford to be the hunted. Suspense is the whole reason to why people claim that they stay past their bedtime reading books. A reader does not stop reading until their desire for the answer to their questions about the plot is answered. People who have read The Most Dangerous Game may say that this story created by Richard Connell is one of the most suspense filled story ever produced. Richard Connell used many techniques to create suspense, the usage of pauses in his writing style, recurring vivid imagery, and dialogue. What and when was the last time that you read a story just as mystery and suspense filled as The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell?

The Emergence of Industry Clusters Theory & Evidence Essay

The Emergence of Industry Clusters Theory & Evidence - Essay Example On the other hand, the term ‘industry cluster’ is referred to as the geographic absorption of interconnected businesses, suppliers and associated organisations in a particular field (Cilibrasi & Vitanyi, 2005). The industry clusters are primarily considered so as to enhance the productivity and the profitability of the organisations which would augment the corporate image and the customer loyalty among other competitors in the markets. It would be beneficial for an enterprise to cope up with the competitive challenges of the varied situations and conditions. Therefore, it is also known as competitive cluster or Porterian cluster (Sandiego Association of Governments, n.d.). In addition, an industry cluster also enhances the probability of skilled workers at a quite lower rate as compared to other market scenarios, infrastructure facilities, and distribution facilities among others. Apart from this, an industrial cluster also reduces the business and the financial risks as well as offers flexibility in the management decision processes of the enterprises thereby improving the profit margins of the organisations. ... This assignment is divided into five phases including introduction, key particulars related to industry clusters, relevant theories on the origin and emergence of industry clusters, plans and policy recommendations and finally conclusion. Key Particulars Related To Industry Clusters Industry cluster is defined as the group of interrelated companies and industries mainly found in the micropolitan areas, but each cluster is unique in size, core potencies and dealings. The industry clusters are the groups of firms in a specific geographical region that share a universal market, technologies, workers’ skill and are also linked with the buyer-seller relationships. It makes an area competitive as well as a viable location for the development of varied industries. According to Klepper (2010) industry clusters are vibrant entities which might change depending upon the existing industries or on the exterior conditions. These are the geographic deliberations of competing, opposite, or i nter-reliant firms and industries that might perform business operations with each other or with exterior enterprises. The firms present in the cluster may be aggressive and cooperative in nature. This is due to the fact, that at the initial stages of development, the area or market is entirely new and the rivals are also quite less as compared to others. Thus, it can be affirmed that no explicit benefit is offered by any specific region or market at the preliminary stages of development of clusters. However, after the establishment of the cluster, the area becomes competitive as well as feasible for business prospects which enhance the economic growth of the area. As a result, it attracts new industry entrants, which increases the competitiveness of the region. This can also be

Infectious diseases among inmate populations Essay

Infectious diseases among inmate populations - Essay Example As this problem escalates, the monetary costs to society continues to rise and are much greater than if the diseases were discovered and treated at an earlier time, in the prison system prior to release. Prisons are in a unique position to treat inmates while the infectious condition is still in its earliest stages thus ultimately less costly to taxpayers. Though considerable economic, logistical and political barriers must be overcome to genuinely improve health care in the prison system, there are methods by which to begin solving this worsening health crisis in the prisons and wider community. The U.S. prison system has undergone a transformation over the past quarter century as a result of and a response to extensive studies that have been conducted to determine the consequences of the rising inmate population. In just 20 years, the number of persons held in U.S. prisons jumped substantially. The nation’s ‘war on drugs’ included mandatory sentencing guidelines which were principally responsible for the increase of 216,000 total prisoners in 1974 to 2004’s figure of 1.4 million. During this period, in just a 10-year span, the percentage of prisoners convicted of drug offenses nearly tripled. â€Å"In 1985, only 38,900, 8.6 percent, of State prison inmates were serving time for drug offenses as their most serious crime committed. By 1995, that number had increased almost six-fold to 224,900, 22.7 percent of all inmates† (Skolnik, 1994). Today, the U.S. houses nearly two million inmates. In 1978, the number of persons in the entire penal sy stem, those in prisons, jails and on probation or parole totaled 1.5 million. In 2004 this number stood at almost seven million. The overall correctional population, including persons in prison, jail, and on parole and probation, has jumped from 1.5 million in 1978 to nearly 7 million in 2004 (â€Å"Ethical†, 2006). Approximately

Exposure of Children to Second Hand Smoking Case Study

Exposure of Children to Second Hand Smoking - Case Study Example According to the study they might stop smoking during pregnancy, many of the mothers resume smoking after they deliver their babies. This postnatal exposure is, however, can harm children. Living with smokers, even if they smoke away from home, can increase a child’s chances to have ear infections, allergies, asthma, pneumonia, wheezing, and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. Infants who are exposed to smoking caregivers or mothers who smoked during pregnancy are up to four times more likely to pass away of Sudden Infants Death Syndrome (SIDS), as environmental health practitioners researches assert. Parents and children care givers ought to improve their own and their children’s health by getting some assistance quitting smoking. Clinical and psychological counseling can play a notable impact in changing their lifestyles to salvage these innocent exposed angels. This study outlines that although environmental health acts, for instance, The Maryland’s Clean Indoor Air Act 2007, was set to control public smoking and children’s right for healthy upbringing, more measures need to be implemented. This is because of lack of effective law coverage in this field. For instance, many mothers and caretakers smoke in their homes in the presence of their children without their knowledge. Therefore, a behavioral change and awareness counseling therapy can be more effectual in saving the children threatened. These laws are tremendously beneficial but they need amendments to be stiffer on the offenders. An article â€Å"Kids and Second Hand Smoke: Some Reasons to Quit Smoking?† by Vincent Iannelli suggests that smokers need extra reason to stop smoking.  

Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Abortion - Essay Example Sinnott and Robert (467), argue that one can use pills that terminate the life of the embryo or go through medical processes of abortion. In this article, I will discuss the disadvantages of abortions, and some of the long-term effects one has to carry on after the procedure. I will also discuss on the legal nature of the act and the religious view of the practice. From a religious point of view, I agree that, killing of any human life is wrong, and there is no any legible reason for life termination. All life begins at conception and hence fetuses are just innocent beings and no killings are justifiable by law and religious holdings. I view it that, every being is unique, and termination of any life means the extinction of an individual with a unique genetic code (Sinnott and Robert 469). Out of biological knowledge, I understand that genes carry desirable traits that are rare and desirable giving organism’s unique qualities. The different aspects like knowledge, performance, or significant physical appearance may be in the genes of the terminated embryos. I agree with Sinnott and Robert (470) that, all humans have their potentials no matter how they may seem; hence, every life has a mission to accomplish, and thence it is wrong to terminate any life that may not yet be born. I agree with him that it is wrong to destroy foetus and no killings are justifiable. I find the act of causing pain on other living creatures wrong. Abortion causes pain moreover, sufferings to the foetus which later results to its death. My opinion remains that, however young the foetus is during the time of abortion it still causes it pain and sufferings, which is un-acceptable on any living creature. Governments that have legalized on abortion allow killings, and this means tolerating un-ethical practices in the societies. According to my thinking, this is lack of respect for young life. It is a terrible thing, and it results to under populating some regions since the

International Financial Risk and Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Financial Risk and Control - Essay Example It is imperative for transnational business organizations to recognize the determinants of exchange rates and whether the exchange rate variations can be forecasted. International parity conditions refer to the economic theories that connect exchange rates, level of prices as well as the interest rates. In this study, we would attempt to see whether the international parity conditions are effective in forecasting the variations in the exchange rates in the real world. In doing so, we would consider the bilateral exchange rate movements of Euro/Dollar over the past twelve months and observe whether the variations were consistent with one or more of the International Parity Conditions. Subsequently, we would conclude the study by discussing the extent of effectiveness of the International Parity Conditions as a forecasting tool (Eiteman et al., 2007, p.170). In this section of the study, we would assess the relative exchange rate movement of Euro expressed in terms of United States Dol lar. For the convenience of the study, the Euro versus Dollar exchange rate fluctuations for the period of last twelve months were considered. However, to analyze the latest trend of the Euro/USD exchange rate, we would initially focus on the last 120 days movement of the currency. During this period, the highest value for Euro was 1.3788 USD (as recorded on November 8, 2011) while the lowest value of Euro during the same period was 1.2669 (as recorded on January 16, 2012). The latest value of 1 Euro (as on April 20, 2012) was observed to be 1.3192 USD (Source: X-Rates, 2012). The graph above represents the exchange rate movements EUR/USD for the period starting from May 2011 and ending at April 2012. A closer look at the exchange rate chart reveals that the value of Euro in terms of USD during the specified time frame had fluctuated from 1.45 to around 1.3 USD approximately.  

Organisational Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Organisational Decision Making - Essay Example The major constituents of a business organization are analysed in the light of the Cadbury case study to justify the aforementioned argument. Human Resource: The staff members of the organization or the human resource of the organization is deemed as the pillar for an organization's sustainability both at operational and strategic levels as argued by Richard Lynch (2003)ii. This is also because of the fact that the human resource is the indispensable asset for an organization. Hence, the inability of an organization to effectively manage the human resource not only to improve their performance but also address their concerns is the primary reason for an organization's failure or financial loss in the target market as argued by Derek Torrington and Laura Hall (2003)iii. From the video, it is clear that the organization was initially one of the preferred places to work by many in the British general public. The strive of the organization to generate more revenue since 1966 was the major factor that influenced the Human Resource of the organization. ... The view on the company under consideration reveals that the effectiveness of the organization was mainly because of its rather 'unusual' method of people management, which not only had direct contact of the senior management with the operational staff but also enabled a sense of responsibility and team working amongst the staff members. The arguments of Kathy Ball - one of the employees of the organization who worked in the company for over forty years in the video justifies the aforementioned. The arguments on the team working and the contact with the management team that was emphasised by Kathy Ball are the critical elements that contribute to the motivation of the staff members. This is the critical element for a strategic growth in the organization as argued by Janice E Carrillo and Cheryl Gaimon (2004)iv. From the Cadbury case study video it is clear that the changes implemented in the organization for the purpose of increasing the revenue through the procedural approach to management and strict portfolios proposed by Mckinsey and Company were the major hurdles for the organization's growth. This is evident from the opinion of not only the ex-staff members but also by Adrian Cadbury the then managing director of the organization. Alongside it is also clear that the company's approach to increasing profits through cutting costs involved with the subsidies provided to the staff members is another critical area where the human resource or the workforce was de-motivated due to organization decision-making. Although the withdrawal of the subsidies are justifiable with the soaring costs in the market, the introduction of middle managers in the team as an approach to streamlining the operations in the organization

Currently Ethical Issue in Business Research Paper

Currently Ethical Issue in Business - Research Paper Example This has mainly emanated from the absence of transparency, consistency; accountability, coupled with institutional weaknesses within judicial and legislative systems have been a primary cause of corruption within companies. The paper explores ethical challenges associated with corruption and bribery in business. Business ethics has overtime attracted significant interest partly owing to the perception of crude capital tendencies, which elevate the making of profits relative to ethical making of such profits. The realization of corporate goals and objectives necessitates that business managers design relevant policies and strategies, which enable them to attain the set objectives and cope with the overriding business environment. Nevertheless, some of the corporate policies may offend ethical sensibilities (Trevino & Nelson, 2011). Background Corruption is a complex phenomenon covering a wide range of and its origin lies deep within political and bureaucratic institutions. Although, t he costs of corruption may differ and systemic corruption may be accompanied by sound economic performance, studies on corruption demonstrates that corruption is bad for development. Bribery represents one of the core tools of corruption and can be employed by businesses as a mode of â€Å"buying† things availed by governments or other entities such as contracts, government incentives, lower taxes, legal outcomes, and licenses (Myint, 2000). Ordinary business practices when abused can be construed as corrupt payments. Bribery and corruption in companies limits competition, corrupts the society, and damages innovation. In most cases, â€Å"corrupt† and â€Å"illicit† can be employed interchangeably, which implies that corrupt behavior contravenes a principle of legality; nevertheless, not all illegal behavior is corrupt and not all corrupt behavior can be deemed as illegal (Kochan & Goodyear, 2011). Transparency International differentiates forms of corruption by motive, whereby corruption behaviors injurious to the firm can be labeled as dysfunctional corruption while that beneficial to the firm can be labeled as functional corruption (Myint, 2000). Such a distinction is relevant when discussing international business and corruption given that some acts such as bribes and kickbacks may enable the firm to operate profitably, especially in the short-term (Loughman & Sibery, 2012). Discussion The World Bank estimates that close to 0.5% of GDP is lost via corruption each year. Bribery is mode common form of corruption, which creates a leeway where organized crime can flourish, corroding of trust in institutions, and undermining the rule of and democratic practices. Corruption can be highlighted as endemic within emerging economies causing chaos in economic development. In recent years, there has been a surge in high-profile cases of corporate corruption and bribery, which have given rise to colossal fines for companies engaged in corruption su rpassing $ 1 billion and increasing diplomatic tensions between countries. In response to increasing incidences on corruption, the U.S. Justice Department has increased prosecutions of alleged acts of foreign bribery by U.S. corporations. For instance, in 2009, over 120 companies were under investigation representing a stark contrast from what was happening in the previous years. Recent trends toward vibrant enforcement of

Sport Good for Us Essay Example for Free

Sport Good for Us Essay Is sport really good for us? Sport has become our communal activity, our environment of mutual support. Sportsmen focus on challenging themselves. They liberate themselves from the presence of external competition. Humanity has always been fascinated by physical beauty. The aerobics revolution has been replaced by ashtanga and other forms of yoga that combine physical fitness with spirituality. The rise of interest in yoga is a turn to the combination of physical and spiritual health. Sport is my favorite leisure activity. I go jogging and play chess, have a swim at a moderate speed and lift weights in the morning. I never do anything which is bad for me. I keep trophies gathered on high school athletic fields on a shelf. I cherish baseball cards and athletes autographs. Ronaldos poster is a signal that he is a compelling object of my devotion. I know all hometown heroes. I like extreme sports that offer a full body experience. I am crazy about sports, like all people around me. But when I watch sports, it hurts me that athletes risk their health for my pleasure. They are super humans but their increased stress and inevitable sports injuries make me somewhat sad. Sporting injuries are inherent in commercialized sport; otherwise nobody would pay our great athletes well. Yet, there should be limitations, for sport is good for us when it brings about positive emotions in both active and passive participants of sports events. Sport events take place everywhere and on a regular basis. Viewing sports is one of the popular pastime activities. It is the feeling of connectedness that sports create with athletes, with different kinds of sports that are of interest to us, with sports achievements that we personally have missed in our lives. How good is sport for us? To profit from sports and to gain popularity, athletes risk their health because records go hand in glove with injuries. The camera follows every crash, every injury, every drop of blood spilt. It is disgusting and not good for me. I do not want to know the background of commercialized sports. For me, athletes are heroes. They make me promise myself to set on a program that would lead to achievement, not today but later, perhaps, tomorrow. I like sports enthusiasm, energy, force, and youth. Well, watching sport is good. But is it really good to know that athletes cheat us, their fans, using special technologies to become supermen physically? Do I need this deception? What is the point of it for me? I wonder whether sport has not mutated into something else. I mean, I want to know whether it has not turned into genetically-modified activity, in which genuine human ability is no more competitive, and athletes are sports machines that manufacture sports result with their body machines. I think that not sport but regular exercise is really good for me. I like jogging but I would never have a welcome as a baseball player. I am too clumsy even for beach volleyball. I like sports as they are interesting, entertaining, competitive, and spectacular. I like watching how others succeed in their sports lives. Sport is good for me, if it reveals how powerful our bodies are. But sport is of no use if it contradicts my human nature. It should be naturally but not artificially driven. I am for sport that does not cheat nature and is a real competition of strength and physical might. Using cell phones while driving is dangerous Cell phones are troublesome while driving. When a driver keeps talking or listening to music he or is not supposed to focus off the road. A cell phone makes a great difference. It is not forbidden to talk to a passenger but it is not recommended to talk to an invisible cell phone communicator. The use of cell phones is the most common distraction, but the use of a hand-held cell phone increases the risk by 1. 3 times, which is less than reaching for items on the seat or in the glove compartment. New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, California, Washington State, Utah, and Washington, D. C. prohibit drivers from using hand-held cell phones, irrespective of weather conditions: at all times, not only on wet and icy roads when a driver decides on dialing or text messaging. According to recent research, a driver talking over a cell phone is four times more endangered to collide with another vehicle than a driver who does not use a cell phone while driving. Cell phone distraction causes 2600 deaths in the United States annually. Drivers may be allowed to use cell phones in traffic jams but they must be fined if they use a cell phone while driving at moderate or high speeds, at crossroads, and on twisting and turning roads. Can you do without using your cell phone while driving? The use of cell phones may result in a drivers slower reaction while breaking or regaining speed. It may cause accidents but it may be a coincidence with some other action. So, the use of cell phone is not desirable because it involves a driver in a multi-task activity while driving. Young drivers are banned or restricted from using cell phones in 18 American states. In California, young drivers will be ticketed for using any mobile device. I do not know how a young driver will write a term paper on a laptop computer while driving but it is banned as well as a cell phone while driving. Although cell phones may cause problems, no research is available to point to the rise in deaths cause by the use of cell phones while driving. A cell phone, like any mobile device, simple makes a list of possible causes of accidents longer. But safety is safety, so while driving people should be obedient to publicly accepted behavior. A driver may use a cell phone when he or she stops the car. But in foggy weather or on wet and icy roads this driver may be injured by another moving vehicle that will not expect it there. Cell phones are life-threatening means of communication while driving. To be on the safe side, it would be fine to ban the use of cell phones while driving.

Han China and Gupta India Essay Example for Free

Han China and Gupta India Essay Han China differed from Gupta India politically, developing a strong bureaucratic system while India allowed local rulers to stay in control, but the Guptas focused more on trade and made more intellectual achievements than China, especially in mathematics. They established empires that were successful, but also distinct in their own ways. Although these two civilizations were notably different politically, economically, and intellectually, both were successful in bringing prosperity to their empires. During the Han dynasty, China successfully improved its bureaucracy, but in India local rulers maintained regional control. India’s territory never grew to be as large as China’s, so different forms of government were needed for each civilization. Han China retained the centralized government formed by the Qin, and expanded the bureaucracy. The bureaucratic system suited China, because it was able to support the civilization as it expanded into a large empire. The emperor Wu Ti created civil service examinations for his bureaucrats, which could be taken by any male. Wu Ti also urged Confucianism in order to gain support, as it urged respect for the government. On the other hand, India lacked an extensive bureaucracy, and local rulers were allowed to keep control as long as they remained loyal to Gupta authority. Because of its separated regions, it was very difficult to politically unify India. Similar to China, the Gupta rulers turned to religion to strengthen support for the government. In contrast to China, they favored Hinduism because they claimed to be appointed by Hindu gods. Additionally, Hinduism encouraged the rigid caste system. The empires were also similar because political power was given to landowners. Although the Gupta period is considered the golden age of India, providing its greatest period of political stability, it never developed the solid bureaucracy that Han China did. Although trade is vital to any civilization’s success, India emphasized trade far more than China did. China’s economy focused on extensive internal trade, while India developed more maritime trade. Trade gradually became more important during the Han dynasty, focusing on luxury items for the upper class such as silks, leather, and jewelry. Internal trade was made easier by the standardization of currency and circulation of copper coins. Han rulers expanded the empire, which allowed trade with more places. Some merchants even took profitable trips to India. Even though they were important, trade and the merchant class did not become the focal points of Chinese economy. This was due to the emphasis on Confucianism, which frowned upon a life devoted to moneymaking. On the other hand, the Guptas established a strong economy. It was partly based on technological sophistication, new inventions, and production. For example, Indian artisans were the first to manufacture cotton cloth, calico, and cashmere. In these areas, India and China were rivaling, but the India’s economy became more vigorous. Merchant activity was greater in India than in China, with merchants at a relatively high caste status. They traveled by land, and also by sea, increasing maritime trade. Han China and Gupta India’s economies can be compared as firmly agricultural, both relying on a large peasant class, organized into cooperative close-knit villages. Han rulers regulated agricultural supplies by storing extra grain and rice in good times, preventing price increases when harvests were bad. The Gupta period in India was known for its wealth, which was due to extensive trading both internally and by sea, as opposed to Han China’s economy, which relied more on technological innovations. The Hans and Guptas both made many important intellectual achievements, but there was more academic success in India, especially in mathematics. The Chinese studied astronomy, calculating the movement of planets, as well as observing sunspots. During the Han dynasty, scientists invented a seismograph to register earthquakes. In addition, they actively researched medicine, studying principles of hygiene that would support longer lives. Generally, the Chinese focused their studies on practical findings, such as discovering how things worked. They studied the mathematics of music that led to advances in acoustics. Like China, Indian scientists also progressed in astronomy and medicine. Many astronomical discoveries were made, such as the calculation of the solar year, the circumference and daily rotation of Earth, a theory of gravity, and the discovery of seven planets. In medicine, hospitals also stressed cleanliness, like China. India surpassed China in mathematical discoveries. Scholars created a numbering system and the concepts of zero and negative numbers. Mathematicians also calculated square roots and a more accurate value of pi. These advances in both civilizations were possible because of support from the government. In China, the government sponsored intellectual life, organizing research in astronomy. The Guptas had a vast university center in Nalanda featuring lecture halls, libraries, and an observatory. This supported the new discoveries that were being made. Both civilizations made important intellectual achievements that were advanced by world standards, but Gupta India especially excelled in mathematics. The Han and Gupta dynasties were both successful periods in China and India. Their success was due to different causes, because their societies were very unlike each other. China’s government centered on its strong bureaucracy developed during the Han dynasty, while India never advanced a decent bureaucratic system. Both civilizations had strong economies, but India focused more on over-sea trade than China did. Also, Gupta India made more intellectual achievements particularly in science and mathematics. The Han and Gupta periods were similar in some ways, but their civilizations showed distinct differences politically, economically, and intellectually.

Environmental impact

Environmental impact Environmental impact assessment is a tool used in identifying and evaluating the environmental effects that are likely to arise from a major proposed project (Morris Therivel, 2009). The purpose of EIA is to supply or aid decision makers in making appropriate decision regarding the environmental impact of proposed projects. In order words, its aim is to provide decision makers such as the Local Authority a systematic examination of the environmental implications of a proposed action and sometimes alternatives before a decision is taken (Jay et al, 2007). Also, environmental impact assessment aim, in the United Kingdom, is to assist in the formulation of development actions and it is an instrument for providing sustainable development (Jay et al, 2007). This essay is a critical review of the process of environmental impact assessment in the UK. Environmental Impact Assessment has been implemented in the UK since the 1980s through secondary legislation involving regulations and guidance, the most important being the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 (Statutory Instrument 1199, DoE, 1989), which constitutes the principal means of implementation of Directive 85/337/EC (Piper, 2001). Under these regulations, Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out at local level, within the planning system, where the Local Planning Authority (LPA) is the competent authority playing the central institutional role (Piper, 2001). Currently, Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 has been replaced by Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1999 (Amended) (Salvador, Glasson, Piper, 2000). The process of environmental impact assessment in the United Kingdom involves various stages such as screening of projects, scoping, establishing environmental baseline, impact identification, impact prediction, evaluation and mitigation, participation, presentation and review, monitoring and auditing after review (Morris Therivel, 2009). The people involved in the process of environmental impact assessment in the UK are the Local Authorities which are the planning department, the property developers, statutory consultees, central government, non statutory consultees and the public(Morris Therivel, 2009). First stage of environmental impact assessment is the screening of projects; it seeks to focus on projects with potentially significant adverse environmental impact (Glasson et al, 2005). The next step after the screening of project is the scoping process. Scoping is the process of identifying and assigning priority to the issues associated with a project for the purpose of focusing the impact assessment to be conducted. In summary, scoping is a process that determines what significant issues the nature and extent of ecological data to be collected and assessed (reference it). Establishing environmental baseline; this process includes both the present and likelihood future state of the environment assuming that the project is not undertaken, taking into account changes resulting from natural events and from other human activities (reference). Impact identification brings together project characterization and baseline environmental aim of ensuring that all potentially significant envi ronmental impacts are identified and taken into account (reference). Impact prediction, evaluation and mitigation is the heart of environmental impact assessment, its objective is to provide the basis for assessing significance, assess the relative impact of the significance and to put measures to avoid, reduce and if possible remedy significant adverse effect (reference). The next process is the participation, presentation and review of environmental statement; it is aimed at providing information about a proposals likely environmental impacts to the developer, the public and decision makers so that a better decision is made (reference). Since the introduction of environmental impact assessment in the United Kingdom, there have been great achievements towards reducing the environmental effects of projects but there are still arguments regarding the way environmental impact assessment process in the UK is practised. Weston (2000) was of the view that screening process of EIA in the UK is not clearly defined. According to Weston, the UKs 1988 environmental impact assessment procedures established a threshold approach to determine whether a development project should be subject to environmental impact assessment. Firstly, there is a Schedule I to the Regulations which lists all those projects which are above set thresholds and are of regional or wider importance and for which EIA is mandatory in all cases and secondly, there is a Schedule II list which sets out all those projects which only require an EIA to be carried out where there are likely to be significant environmental effects and where the Local Planning Authority have deemed it necessary for the developer to submit an Environmental Statement with their planning application. However, Weston (2000) argued that the term Significant is rarely defined in the context of the UKs legal system and its use has caused problems. The next step after the screening of project is the scoping process. Portman (2009) stated that scoping is frequently viewed as the most important stage in determining the quality of the assessment of EIA, but it has also been identified as EIA most problematic phase and has been under researched. Currently, scoping process in environmental impact assessment is not a legally mandated process in United Kingdom (Morris Therivel, 2009). Some inefficiency of scoping process has been identified by researches conducted on scoping activities in the UK. According to Glasson (1999), environmental impact assessment scoping process is supposed to include various actors such as the developers, the general public and the regulators at various levels of government, but in the UK, scoping process is too developer oriented, thereby limiting the role given to the public. Glasson was of the view that developers are unlikely to predict that the project they are proposing to develop might be an environ mental disaster since they are more concerned about saving cost. Studies carried out on the limitations of public participation on scoping exercise in the UK, showed that poor provision of basic information of a proposed project to the public by the developers was a barrier to effective public participation in decision making (Wood Hartley, 2005), United Kingdom Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation was also blamed for the cause of ineffective public participation in scoping exercise. For instance, in a complex waste project, UK EIA regulation requires a period of 21 days for public comment, which according to Wood and Hartly is perceived to be too short to allow the public participate effectively (Wood Hartley, 2005). Results of investigation carried out by Wood, Glasson and Becker on the assessment of scoping activities in England and Wales, showed that the Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) which are the authorities with power of regulation are often under resourced and lac king in experience of environmental impact assessment activities (Wood, Glasson Becker, 2005). The results of the investigation showed that it is a particular case for non metropolitan district councils which receive very few request for scoping opinions each year. Wood, Glasson and Becker (2005) concluded that the lack of developers consultation with competent authorities and the general public is the principal limitation to effective EIA in the UK. Environmental Impact Statement presentation and review is a vital step in the process of EIA in the UK and if done badly, may result in negating of the good work (Glasson, Therivel Chadwick, 2005). A review of environmental impact statements produced for a variety of development type in Britain from the period of 1988-1993 demonstrated that there are number of shortcomings in the assessment of ecological impacts for EIA. The results showed that most environmental impact statement did not comply with EC directive (85/337), which clearly states a requirement to consider impacts on the flora and fauna associated with proposed development (Thompson, Treweek Thurling, 1997). According to the review of environmental impact statements in the British forest sector from 1988-1998, the results showed that the standard was generally poor and the environmental impact statement presented limited useful additional information to decision makers. A fundamental recurrent issue was the failure to a dequately scope assessments, leading to unfocused baseline data collection, inadequate identification of impact, and inadequate determination of impact significance (Gray Edward-Jones, 2003).

Right Brain, Left Brain :: essays research papers

The article in which I chose to examine is called Right Brain, Left Brain: Fact and Fiction, written by Jerre Levy. In the past fifteen years or so there has been a lot of talk of left brain and right brain people. Levy's reason for righting this article was clearly to stop the misconceptions and show the truth about how our brain hemispheres operate. Levy first explores the myth of the left brain and right brain theory. She states that generally people see the left hemisphere of the brain controlling logic and language and the right, creativity and intuition. In addition people differ in their styles of thought, depending on which half of the brain is dominant. She believes that most of what these notions state is farce. Next the article explores the history of this fascination of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Apparently the study of this aspect of the brain traces back to time of Hippocrates. Levy weaves in and out of the various theories and prominent people known for contributing to the confusion. It wasn't until 1962 when Roger W. Sperry began experimenting on certain aspects of the brain that contribute to the truth of the left and right brain theory. Sperry studied people who had undergone surgical division of the corpus callosum, the bridge between the two hemispheres. His studies showed that, "an object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) could be named readily, but one placed in the left hand (nonverbal right hemisphere) could be neither named nor described. Next to branch off of Sperry's studies was psychologist Doreen Kimura. Kimura developed behavioral methods which involved presenting visual stimuli rapidly to either the left or right visual fields. Another important method developed was "dichotic listening" which centered around the use of sound to study the hemispheres. Through these tests and the continual study the theory that the left brain controlled ended. Instead a new theory was born known as the two-brain theory. This said that at different times one of the two hemispheres would be operating. An example of this is that the right hemisphere is in control when an artist paints but the left hemisphere was in control when a novelist wrote a book. This theory failed because of one physical studies showed that people with hemispheres surgically disconnected could operate in everyday life. Also, research demonstrated that each hemisphere had its own functional expertise, and that the two halves were complementary. Next, the article states its worth. The author shows the up to date agreed upon theory of the two hemispheres in five simple points.

Violence In Films Essay -- essays research papers

What place does violence have in the movies? Well, I believe that violence has a place in movies depending on the particular film and what the director of the film is trying to portray. If the director uses violence in his/her film and there isn't any reason behind it, then I would disagree and say that violence shouldn't be in THAT particular film. But in a movie like "Saving Private Ryan", Steven Spielburg replicates the actual events of D-Day on to the big screen by creating a violent-like scene to get the viewer of an understanding of what U.S. troops had to go through. In other films, we see violence used to test the human soul and to see if he/she/they could overcome trials and tribulations. In the film "Independence Day", Earth was attacked "violently&quo... Violence In Films Essay -- essays research papers What place does violence have in the movies? Well, I believe that violence has a place in movies depending on the particular film and what the director of the film is trying to portray. If the director uses violence in his/her film and there isn't any reason behind it, then I would disagree and say that violence shouldn't be in THAT particular film. But in a movie like "Saving Private Ryan", Steven Spielburg replicates the actual events of D-Day on to the big screen by creating a violent-like scene to get the viewer of an understanding of what U.S. troops had to go through. In other films, we see violence used to test the human soul and to see if he/she/they could overcome trials and tribulations. In the film "Independence Day", Earth was attacked "violently&quo...

Government Taxation Essay -- Taxes

There are two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. In today's world, the majority of our government's income comes from taxation. A tax is not a voluntary payment or donation, but an enforced contribution imposed by government (Mikesell, 2011). Taxes are an amount of money collected from citizens, and they are used to provide public goods and services to benefit our communities. Taxes are amounts established in a political process of structured laws to determine how the collective cost of government services will be distributed among elements of the market economy. The two most important tax policies are the level of taxation, or how much taxes should be, and the structure of the system, or how revenue is to be raised (Mikesell, 2011). To better understand taxation and its purposes, this paper will discuss in detail the different tax structures- income taxes, sales taxes and property taxes and describe their advantages and disadvantages based on equity, economic ef fects, collectability, and transparency. In the United States, taxes have been around even before the nation was founded. The criterion for taxes was proposed in a 1776 guide of taxation for a market-based economy by Adam Smith in the Wealth of Nations (Mikesell, 2011). During the Civil War, the government relied on excise taxes but they didn’t generate sufficient revenue, so the first income tax was enacted in 1861. By 1895, the tax was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and in 1913 the 16th Amendment was passed which gave the United States the power to tax personal income and resolved the revenue problem (Mikesell, 2011). During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the government added unemployment compensation and social security progr... ...l never be levied fairly because the world is turning into the â€Å"haves† and the â€Å"have-nots†. Works Cited Davidson, C. (2006, July 24). The history of taxes. In Yahoo Inc. Retrieved November 23, 2010, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/45350/the_history_of_taxes.html?cat=37 Ellis-Christensen, T. (2010, September 10). What is retail sales tax? In Wise Geek. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-retail-sales-tax.htm Holetzky, S. (2010, September 26). What is property tax? In Wise Geek. Retrieved November 23, 2010, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-property-tax.htm Mikesell, J. (2011). Fiscal administration: Analysis and applications for the public sector (8th ed.). Boston Pollick, M. (2010, August 2). What is income tax? In Wise Geek. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-income-tax.htm

Multicultural competency Essay

Multicultural competency is indeed an essential tool required in dealing with clients who have different races, perceptions and cultures. Having this skill will be of a great advantage in the progress of counselling sessions. Moreover, according to Pedersen, multiculturalism is â€Å"a wide range of multiple groups without grading, comparing, or ranking them as better or worse than one another and without denying the very distinct and complementary or even contradictory perspectives that each group brings with it† (1991, p. 4). To effectively handle multiculturalism situations in counselling, counselors must develop different levels of awareness which are the following: â€Å"self-awareness, awareness of one’s own culture, awareness of racism, sexism and poverty, awareness of individual differences, awareness of other cultures and awareness of diversity. † More so, to be successful in obtaining multicultural competency, counselors must also be aware of different theories and specific counselling practices. But the most important point to remember is that counselors must first build on a â€Å"sense of worth† for their respective cultural backgrounds before they can start understanding other cultures (Locke, 1986, pp. 119-137). Response to Post No. 2 Jennifer Weeks Among the three weaknesses mentioned by the counselor, I think that the problem on terminating an interview with a client is the counselor’s main problem. In any session, I think time is of the essence. Clients pay the counselors per hour so they should get their money’s worth for very second that they spend with their counselors. In line with this, counselors should develop a systematic way of establishing client-counselor relationship and at the same time effectively and quickly resolving the issues of the clients in order to maximize the time allotted for the sesssion. Also, counselors should learn how to end the interview without being rude or impolite. This can be done by setting up a timeline for the session and preparing fillers which will be used to divert the flow of the conversation if it gets beyond the timeline or the focus for that specific session. References Locke, D. C. (1990). A not so provincial view of multicultural counseling. Counselor Education and Supervision, 30, 18-25. Pedersen, P. B. (1991). Introduction to the special issue on multiculturalism as a fourth force in counseling. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70, 4.

“Whitebook”: Cross-Marketing Platform for Luxury Brands in Japan

Ad-comm Group â€Å"Whitebook†: Cross-marketing Platform for Luxury Brands in Japan 1. What is a Whitebook? What role(s) does it play in the Marketing strategy of Ad-comm’s client companies? Answers 15 lines maximum. Whitebook is a cross marketing platform, a magazine that is published in Japan every 4 months and which displays nine luxury brands in nine diverse types of product. The magazine is customized for each luxury sponsors. The Whitebook plays an important role in terms of marketing strategy as it is a brand ambassador and CRM tool.As the Whitebook is mainly distributed through sponsors, the Whitebook targets a prequalified small group of costumers but right ones, right at the beginning. Being displayed in the magazine can be seen a recognition of being a top luxury brand and be therefore an award. The Magazine creates a strong relationship between the brands and the costumers, as the costumers feel privileged to receive special attention from the brand. Moreove r the Whitebook organizes event as well, which gathers customers and one brand.Those events gives the opportunity for luxury brands to create a personal relationship (â€Å"face-to-face† relationship) with its customers, by telling its heritage and answering questions. 2. Take the perspective of the general manager of Porsche Japan. How would you assess the cost effectiveness or ROI of investing 20 million Yen a year to sponsor Whitbook? Would you be willing to be a sponsor? Why or why not? Answer by using a break-even analysis, and by calculating the expected customer lifetime value (i. e. oday’s expected value of a customer’s purchases over the course of his/her life as a Porsche customer). 1 to 2 pages. a. You must know what a break-even analysis is: this is when your return/revenue covers your investment – in other words: how many cars to sell to repay for the investment in Whitebook? b. Customer Lifetime value: refer to the last class definition â₠¬â€œ expected value of a customer over the course of his/her life as a customer = selling price of a Porsche x number of Porsches purchased in a lifetime.Be creative by using the data of the case and common sense. There is no magic formula. I will take your assumptions into consideration. c. Then the cost effectiveness can be assessed by comparing to competitive offerings Porsche sales increased by 4. 55 ( 3000/658= 4. 55 – p. 8) in 6 years. For a luxury brand, democratization of the product also means loss of prestige and exclusivity. Whitebook is a way to keep the luxury image of the brand by creating a special relationship with the best costumers. 20 million Yen represents 2. % of the total marketing budget (p. 8). Assuming that an average price of Porsche is 75 000$ USD , in 6 years they have sold for 175 650 000$ (75 000 x 2320) . 20 million Yen is equal to 214 241. 04$ USD which corresponds to 1 285 446. 24$ USD in 6 years. In terms of break-even analysis and still assu ming the average price of 75 000 $, they need to sell 3 cars (2. 86) (214 241. 04 / 75 000) per year to repay their investment in Whitebook. However, the case mentions that â€Å"10% of the VIP customers own 8-9 Porsches† (p. ), therefore we can assume that Porsche company sells at least 3 cars per year and therefore sponsoring Whitebook is profitable. In terms of Costumer Lifetime value, we shall still assume the average price of 75 000$ USD per car and the number of Porsches purchased in a lifetime of 8. 5 (â€Å"8-9 Porsches† own over lifetime – p. 8). The Costumer Lifetime Value is therefore equal to 637 500 (75 000 x 8. 5). Finally, in terms of cost effectiveness, if we look at exhibit 9, we see that the manufacturer's suggested retail price of Whitebook is best advantageous compared to other selected print media in Japan.The manufacturer's suggested retail price is relatively low (5 000 000 Yen) compared to the number of pages and the location. Let’ s take 25ans’. The MSRP is 4 200 000 Yen for 2 pages on the back cover; compared to 800 000Yen more for Whitebook (therefore 1. 19 more expensive (5 000 000 / 4 200 000 = 1. 19) ) for 3 times more pages inside the magazine for Whitebook. It is then clear that Whitebook is more profitable compared to less expensive magazines in terms of cost effectiveness. Moreover 25ans’ targets women’s luxury, however Porsche and fast cars are commonly known to be of mainly great interest for men.Concerning Esquire, the MSRP is 3 200 000 Yen of 2 pages on the back cover, Whitebook is 1 800 000 more (therefore 1. 5626 more expensive (5 000 000 / 32 000 000)) for 3 times more pages inside the magazine. Thus, Whitebook magazine is more profitable than Esquire. Moreover Esquire targets Men’s fashion/lifestyle only, however purchasing a Porsche can also involve women (Porsche Cayenne for example). Concerning Nikkei Business, the MSRP is 5 680 000 Yen of 2 pages on the back co ver which target business customers. Compare to Whitebook, Nikkei Business is 1. 36 more expensive than Whitebook for less pages. Moreover the Nikkei Business target only business Concerning Asahi Newspaper, the MSRP is 22 500 000 Yen for full page. Compare toe Whitebook, Asahi Newspaper is 4. 5 more expensive. Moreover, Asahi Newspaper targets general public, however Porsche wants to keep the luxury prestige and exclusive image of the brand by investing in a magazine, the target readers doesn’t therefore correspond to the main aim of Porsche. In conclusion, Whitebook is the best investment in terms of cost effectiveness compared to competitive offerings. . Put yourself in the shoes of Andreas Dannenberg. Whitebook exploits opportunities (and leverages strength, addresses weaknesses, and counter threats) in the luxury market and advertising industry, and it helps Ad-comm stay ahead of potential capability improvements by Japanese and multinational competitors. What is Whitebo ok to you? What role(s) does it play in the marketing strategy of Ad-comm itself? Answer by using a SWOT analysis (for Ad-comm) to understand internal and external strategic position. 1 to 2 pages. In terms of Strengths: Whitebook enables to be independent from Japanese Players * Doesn’t have to be subcontracted by Japanese agencies * Target the right costumers * Plays a role of CRM tool * Create privilege relationships between the brands and the costumers * Maintain the luxury and exclusive image of the sponsors * Create events to build a face to face relationship and build a trust relationship in the long run with VIP costumers -> the brand tells stories and heritage to the customer and the Japanese consumption, customers are choosing a brand mainly because of its heritage, recommendations of experts and experiences of family and friends. Plays a role of brand ambassador * Enable luxury companies to display the corporate portfolio * Enable luxury brands to make their cash f lows easier In terms of Weaknesses: * Limited to Japanese market * Limited to the Japanese market * Implementation on international market requires global corporate decision In terms of Opportunities: * Cross-marketing platform * Select prequalified targeted and top-tier customer Create a unique virtual experience for privilege guests as well trough its website and entry key * Track behaviors of target customers * The website tracks behaviors of target customers * Create events which can be an opportunity to launch a new product to a right target costumer * Enable luxury companies to get new costumers * Work as a CRM tool In terms of Threats: * No competitors at the moment because is very selective and the nurture the relationship with the brand. However, competitors can come in the market, target also luxury clientele with more luxury brands or more subcategories * New competitors can come and create other type of cross-marketing platform like a privilege club which enables the bra nds to meet * New competitors can come an create the same magazine suited for the global market or USA market which number of customers are greater 4. What would you do with the expansion opportunities described at the end of the case (pp. 10-13)? Would you pursue: (a) increasing the number of sponsors I the current Whitebook? b) replicating the current Whitebook in overseas market; or (c) developing an alternative Whitebook focused on the new â€Å"edgy† brand market? Why? Answer with Pros and Cons in 1 to 2 pages. (a) Increasing the number of sponsors I the current Whitebook Pros: * Increase flexibility when planning events * Increase quantity of events (number of events) * Increase quality of events, as more VIP customers and sponsor companies are available * Increase the use of CRM tool * Make the relationship between brand and consumer more visible Cons: Additional cost could offset the fixed costs of production * Losing credibility * Losing trust with the brands * Losin g luxury appeal because luxury is based on scarcity and exclusivity (b) Replicating the current Whitebook in overseas market (the best option because:) Pros: * Minimize additional effort and attention required to Whitebook * Provide learning opportunity for the account managers * Can introduce new categories in the book * Multinational sponsor already present in the Japanese version can be included in the overseas version * Already implemented in US, SingaporeCons: * There’s a small budget required by sponsors * The decisions so fare are regional and not on corporate level * Changing the marketing strategy at a global level will be uncontrollable for Whitebook unless they change the whole corporate structure, which possible (c) Developing an alternative Whitebook focused on the new â€Å"edgy† brand market Pros: * Maintain most loyal costumers * Help to acquire innovative customers * Guarantee of 50 000 targeted customers * Involves high-margin brand segments Developin g new relationships with new companies Cons: * Should redirect the target customers on young customers * Being part of a community takes out their own personality and uniqueness * Because edgy brands target young customers and customers prefer interactive marketing tools so edgy brand prefer to invest their marketing budget and events or promotions rather that printing marketing * Change the value of luxury image of the book * Because luxury is based on exclusivity and scarcity, including edgy brands will damage this luxury image

Intercommunication

If was to buy the list I would sale contact method that I would use would be contacting them in person, although it would be time consuming and expensive, I would want them to see me and know that I am serious about business. I would be able to directly answer any questions that they might have and it is always good to put a face to someone wanting to do business. Cold calling assumes sales people will be successful If they can reach the right person In an organization. I do not think that cold calling should be used but It Is the only way that some can get through.Cold calling focuses on getting past the middle people. A person who calls Like this tries to let the buyer know why they should make a purchase decision right now. They can create a negative experience. I know that I do not Like when people call me and push me to buy something. Many people are so often hit with advertising messages from TV, newspapers, magazines and it is hard to get their attention. Direct mall can help build relationships between you and whomever you are trying to reach.It is more personal because you can say what you want and have time to put your thoughts together and express whatever it is you need to and is also cost efficient. Most consumers are receptive to direct mail. Yes, I consider sending these contacts unsolicited emails spam. Most of us get spam every day, ranging from a little to a lot, but if you have an e-mail account it is always there. It is frustrating when you open your business email and before you can respond to your customers or email your suppliers, you have spam. I feel that it is just a way for people to try to get you to buy into something, Spam is of no importance to me.

Adelphia Fraud

Among other things, the money was reportedly used to pay off debts, build a Thirteen million dollar golf course, buy expensive condos, and flying In private Jets. These SIX members of the scandal were accused of hiding liabilities In off balance sheets. Along with hiding liabilities, they overstated their cash flow statements by One-hundred and sixty million dollars in 2000 and by two-hundred dollars in 2001. Delphic executives also falsified operations statistics and inflated their subscribers list by three million subscribers.Earnings were also inflated to meet forecasts by Wall Street analysts. (2004), â€Å"Corporate scandals are now staples of front-page news as shareholders demand accountability for billions of dollars lost. Still, the U. S. Government says the Irrigates' case is one of the worst ever of financial fraud† (Para. 3). Delphic scandal consisted of six members, John Riggs, Timothy Riggs, Michael; Riggs, James Riggs, James R. Brown and Michael Mulched. These m embers of the scandal committed many crimes based on selfishness, greed, and power.Their management of Delphic costs billions of dollars to Investor and destroyed the corporation. According to Yuk (2006) â€Å"Decision processes are Likely to be characterized more by confusion, disorder, and emotionality than by rationality. Instead of careful analysis of likely outcomes in relation to predetermined objectives, information is often distorted or suppressed to serve preconceptions about the best course of action or a self-serving interest in a particular choice. † The men were not thinking rationally and were taking money for self-serving reasons.Balance sheets and accounting practices were manipulated In order to pay for their lavish lifestyles. At the time of the crimes Call time was most likely In the back of their minds. Repaying lost money to investors that was stolen was also not thought out. When managers make extremely bad decisions such as these the repercussions are v ast. Investors were hit hard with the news of the Delphic scandal. Stock prices reached an all time high in 1999 peaking out at eighty-seven dollars per share.This was due to the oncoming sales and assets that were falsely recorded by the executives, After news of the Delphic scandal broke In 2002, the stock plummeted to Just fourteen cents per share. The NASDAQ removed Dahlia's stock in June 2002. Another consequence of the scandal and the executive's decisions was lawsuits. The behavior of the executives and their behavior in the Delphic Corporation ultimately brought down the company. I believe that in order for a company to survive, ethical leadership and management must exist.

Zara: It for Fast Fashion

Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success. Zara: It for Fast Fashion Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success.