Georg Simmel and Walter Benjamin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Georg Simmel and Walter Benjamin - Essay Example Georg Simmel lived in Berlin the most part of his life, and this fact of his biography predetermined his views on modern urban life. In his best-known essay, The Metropolis and Mental Life Simmel â€Å"analyzes individual life in the context of modern, metropolitan life, contrasting the social forces and structures of urban life with those of traditional rural and small town settings†. In this work, Georg Simmel underlined that in conditions of the modern city and urban society an individual can successfully develop his skills and abilities, as the economic and political situation of modern and post-modern community promotes individual freedom and flexibility. But in the other hand in modern urban society an individual is under pressure of numerous factors and restrictions, as â€Å"the metropolis is a site or location for social life where the larger structures, forms of contact, and forces such as the money economy threaten ‘the autonomy and individuality’ of t he individual†. So, the situation in modern urban cities leads to the new politics of vision, when an individual has to perceive everything from the point of view of modern urban experience. Simmel underlined that â€Å"the city conspires to erase difference by assaulting the individual with an overwhelming and never-ending stream of visual stimuli†. This vision is inherent to the spacing theory of scientific rationalism, modern and post-modern experience which fills the space with giant cubic forms suppressing the consciousness of people and their freedom. Simmel asserted that "the urban eye must see fast and understand at a glance while walking among the crowd" (Erickson, 2001). All these features form a certain type of people living in large cities in post-modern urban atmosphere. In Simmel's opinion, our society consists of individuals who interact with each other, and this interacting forms features and specificity of our society: "While there is no perception of s ociety until individuals begin to interact, once formed by the interaction of individuals, the society affects the individuals as an outside force" (Crow Ch., et al., 2000). So, taking into account the modern development of such communication means as telephone, telegraph and the Internet one can say that our society has high level of interactions, and, according Georg Simmel, we have high level of social development. He also underlined that post-modern urban life destroyed differences, and people try to make differences inside themselves: "Precisely because conditions conspire to destroy difference, however, the individual feels herself driven to cultivate uniqueness and have it noticed" (Byram, 2002). Walter Benjamin's position is reflected in his main works The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction and Arcades Project. Benjamin considered modern urban

Common man Essay Example for Free

Common man Essay At one level, the thesis is then just another callow compromise by the author in a life that he would call hollow, servile, and insincere. He is a weak and miserable man. Early in life, he was instilled with the desire to live according to what Bolles (1985) referred to as the three boxes of life, a desire that most middle-class parents bequeath to their children in the developing world. The three boxes of life being: foreign Western education, or rather training; high paying professional work in the West or the Middle East; and lastly a cushy retirement plan in North America and/or Europe, or a dollar-indexed pension to be paid in the home country. In other words, to borrow the incisive language of Malcolm X, my social milieu spoke to me in the following way: try to change your status from that of a field slave in the developing world to a house slave in a developed country so that you are of more use to the master and get to live a relatively comfortable life. On no account are you to forge a common cause with your fellow field slaves and work towards a new reorganization of the plantation so that all can live with dignity. You are, of course, allowed to be compassionate towards the lower orders, give charity, and urge them to be like you in the lust to emulate the master. Thus, I came to view myself as a rat, in all senses of the word, and my country as a sinking ship. Foreign education was the life boat on which I could get out of the ship and serve with a smile those very institutions and interests that had boarded and scuttled not only my ship but many others like it. As for those drowning in the decks below, the thought never really entered my mind. I now freely admit that I could not escape the clutches of the first box even when I became aware that I would be serving the very interests that were antithetical to what I thought represented the best in humanity. My ensnarement was due not so much to the strength of the box but to some path dependency processes which were accentuated largely by my own weaknesses, an unhealthy craving for wealth and status, and, lastly, craven cowardice that has made me so far, to quote Hamlet, ‘bear the ills we have than fly to those that we know not of.’ The jury is still out on the second and third boxes though. I hope the thesis will help me make my escape from them.

Diabetes in the UK Essay -- Research Essays Medical Health Diabetics

Diabetes in the UK Synopsis: Diabetes has recently become a focal point of health care systems around the world due to its high prevalence and the severity of secondary complications caused by the disease. Over the course of my project on diabetes, I have had the opportunity to speak with a group of diabetics to understand from a patient’s perspective how diabetes is managed in a rural community. While I found that while some patients ignored treatment and refused to make any dietary changes, the majority of the patients I interviewed were well-informed and actively managing diabetes in their everyday life. Background on Diabetes: Throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, between 2 and 3 of every 100 people have a known form of diabetes (DTC, 2004). What is diabetes? Explained simply, it is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. In the normal state of glucose function, there is a stable release and uptake of glucose, regulated by two hormones produced in the pancreas, glucagon and insulin. There are two distinct mechanisms which give rise to the abnormal blood glucose levels seen in patients with type I and type II diabetes. In type I diabetes, a deficiency in insulin production at the pancreas results in elevated blood glucose levels due to the lack of hormonal regulation. In type II diabetes, although the pancreas produces regular levels of insulin, the body resists the effect of insulin, inhibiting the ability of insulin to break down glucose in the blood. Because of the inherent differences in the biochemical mechanisms of these two diseases, the characteristics associated with type I and type II diabetes are very different. The typical onset of type I diabetes is usually ... ...gnosed with diabetes, with an estimated further 1 million people remaining undiagnosed, and by 2010 this number is predicted to more than double to 3 million (Department of Health, 2001). Clearly, diabetes is a disease that will inevitably pose huge economic burdens for nationalized health service in the future. I hope that with the increase in diabetes and complications associated with the disease will not prevent the NHS from continuing to provide the kind of comprehensive support that I hope someday my own country will emulate. Works Cited: DTC Primary Care Training Center. 2004. Diabetes Management in Primary Care (a handbook), West Yorkshire Department of Health. 2001. National service framework for diabetes: standards. London: HMSO Frooqui, A. and Vora, J. 2004. The changing role of primary care in the management of diabetes. Prescriber, 19: 11-21

Grimshaw V. Ford Motor Company Essay

Facts: 1. Ford developed a new model, later to be known as the pinto, changing the design drastically. 2. Ford discovered that the fuel tanks position was in a ‘vulnerable place’ and the car failed to met crash safety standards. 3. Ford was aware of the small cost to help the fuel tanks meet standards but refused to use them due to the slight delay in production that might occur and approved production of the prototype. 4. A 1972 Ford Pinto was involved in a rear ending when it unexpectedly stalled causing the care (presumably the fuel tank) to burst into flames. 5. A Mrs. Lilly Gray was died as result and her son 13 year-old Richard suffered severe and permanently disfiguring burns to his face and entire body. Legal Procedure/History: 1. Grimshaw sued the Ford Motor Company for punitive damages. 2. Grimshaw awarded damages in the amount of about $3.5 million. 3. Ford appeals punitive damages. 4. Appeal is denied and decision to award punitive damages up held. Issues (Holdings): 1. Did Ford exhibit â€Å"malice† which is necessary to establish in order to award punitive damages? (Yes) 2. The punitive damages awarded are too high for current Californian law, is this unlawful? (No) Reasoning: 1. Malice has been also interpreted to mean â€Å"a conscious disregard of the probability that the actor’s conduct will result injury to others.† 2. Although higher than monetary penalties under government regulations, the punitive damages are to prevent firms in the future from disregarding safety and possible negative consequences. Rule of Law: 1. The primary reason for having and awarding punitive damages is to â€Å"punish and deter the conduct by wrongdoers and others.† Your Response: I completely agree with the decision. Questions 1. Punitive damages were awarded due to the fact that Ford was found to have acted with malice in regards to their production of the Pinto. It has been also interpreted to mean ‘a conscious disregard of the probability that the actor’s conduct will result injury to others.† And this is exactly what Ford did when they disregarded the fuel tank findings and refused to add the safety precautions to the fuel tank. Although higher than monetary penalties under government regulation, the punitive damages were high in order to set an example so that firms in the future would be deterred from disregarding safety and possible negative consequences when producing their products. 2. Although the cost is higher than the saving in the short run I believe it would be to Ford’s benefit to take on the cost of adding the additional safety measures due to the fact that in the long run with more and more deaths attributed to what could be called the ‘greedy, callous’ nature of Ford, sales could decrease. By absorbing the $137.5 million and allowing the public to know of Ford’s action (due to our concern over their safety) could possibly generate a good amount of future sales. On the other hand should the public discover that deaths could have been prevented public trust in the company could decline causing Ford’s sales to suffer the same fate. 3. First the actual cause of Holmes accident should be verified, if it was indeed due to the tires, then yes he should be allowed to appeal for a trial. 4. First of all, even though they bare the heaviest blame (in my opinion) they weren’t the only ones responsible for the advancement of the Pinto’s design. Putting them in jail would just make way for Ford to replace them with others who could potentially make the same decision. It would also be sending the message to other firm’s officers to make sure that they aren’t the ones holding the bag at the end of the day. This only put a few in the industry on guard. Having the entire company pay punitive damages causes the entire industry to be on guard and makes all within the company liable. On the other hand, having to pay such exorbitant amounts could potentially cause a company to go out of business or cause them to downsize (fire employees to save money) effecting all that work there, whether or not they were involved in the design and decision making process. (I.e. they could fire janitors that work at their offices.)

Information technology and society Essay

Technology has now become ubiquitous in our everyday lives. In fact, looking at the well-documented history of technology itself, we realize that most of technology in human history, when it has found for applicability society and the various other modern aspects of culture, would immediately transformed society that it is in technology, as the definition of applicability of science, was in the 1st Pl. meant to do so. However, no time in human history has observed the way modern technology has evolved today. Because of the computer and digital age, technology has now taken a form not only as an application of various scientific theories, but then evolution of itself. From computers, to microprocessors, and even today in the large integration of the various services and features that the Internet has introduced in everyday standards of society, the ubiquity of technology is not anymore noticed by individuals exactly because of the fact that it is not anymore considered as a detached reality the charter integrated into the way we live today (Selwyn, Gorard, Furlong, & Madden, 2003). In fact, this trend is so much a part of culture and society that scientists — from anthropologists, to behavioral scientists, psychologists and sociologists, and even to modern economists — have come up with a totally new research and disciplines attacking and understanding the various significant human consequences of integrating technology in our daily lives. Such disciplines and studies, then, has now resulted into a large body of research which we shall consider in this paper. Here, with the literature and references available, together with a comic strip that has been provided for us, we shall be analyzing how technology has affected a person’s morality, behavior, and character traits. In the comic strip that was provided, an adolescent, Jeremy, was asked by an adult — perhaps his father — if he could be able to speak to him. Upon hearing this, there were boxes and parts of the comic strip where in Jeremy frantically typed or updated the various details in his computer and cell phone — his laptop what we could safely assumed to be a MacBook because the design — before telling adults speaking in that he should make quick because being outside and not being connected in his realm of perpetual connectivity where he is most comfortable. Interpretation of the comics, taking into consideration that we need to discuss are the effects of modern technology to everyday life — is fairly straightforward. Today, connectivity has become ubiquitous and has even transcended to become the need for society. The character of Jeremy in the comic strip is not a character that we rarely see but is in fact a character we could associate with many individuals in today’s society even including ourselves. From cell phones, to the Internet, and some other and other derivatives of modern technology like gaming device portable computers, our need for connectivity has become exactly that — something which we could not live without (Hallnas & Redstrom, 2002). In fact, in many cartoons and comics, what is the norm is that various everyday details and conversations are exaggerated in order to bring a heavy point on the concept that the comic strip artist is trying to deliver. However, in this instance, it is actually much more closer to real world scenarios that in artistic exaggeration. In fact, following with the traditional styles of comics or commentary, where in a teenager is idealized to be the one who is reflecting a different cultural framework from the cultural framework of adults, the reality is the need for connectivity — and eventual effects of such technology to everyday human behavior — transcends a certain age group. Such integration of technology now belongs to individuals much younger than the age bracket that is represented by Jeremy as well as does much older than him. The adult in the comic strip indeed showed a surpassed its face upon the comment of Jeremy, but even individuals in his age group are observed by research should be as much integrated into the use of technology in everyday life as the age group of Jeremy himself. As we have earlier claimed, researchers in behavioral sciences have indicated that technology has in fact significantly affected human behavior. For example, recent studies, behavioral analysts have shown that individuals who are able to access various types of modern technology such as constant connectivity to the Internet, mobile computing, smartphones, and those classified under this category of technology have showed significantly lower rates of patience as compared to generations who did not have access to this kind of technology (Druin & Laboratory, 2002). However, the researchers had admitted that such studies need further validation and proof because there could be many other variables that could influence the quality of patience from one generation to the next and there is a danger of correlating technology with such changes without first considering the other variables and giving them specific weights. However, in preliminary investigations, the same research has identified even if technology was not the most significant factor, the statistics and correlation tables that resulted in the studies show that such modern technology does indeed have an effect. Other researchers had also indicated that technology affects human behavior on information. There is a specific field and research subject in behavioral psychology that tries to capture human traits with regard to their need for constantly fed information (Manning, 2001). Here, researchers had indicated that individuals who did not have access to modern connectivity, the Internet, and various other recent derivatives if information technology are more able to stand information asymmetry and rely on traditional experts and reference materials in order to get such information — if indeed the time comes that they do collect such information (E. J. Johnson, Moe, Fader, Bellman, & Lohse, 2004). Comparing these individuals with another sample group who have wide access to the Internet and connectivity, these researchers had discovered that the latter group of individuals, when asked the question that would eventually lead to those individuals making use of want to or another in order to facilitate search, immediately think and prefer having Internet access in order to retrieve such information rather than rely on opinions and information from experts, traditional knowledge libraries, and even academic institutions (Peterson & Merino, 2003). Search is a continuously popular market especially in the Internet era, and what evidence of this is the popularity and large profits that are derived by the search giant Google as an industry leader in today’s information technology market (Holscher & Strube, 2000). The ability of individuals to search the Internet to various devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers is a deviating behavior from the traditional means that experts have associated with human need for this information and knowledge. Another commentary on how technology has significantly changed the behavior of individuals in today’s modern society, perhaps one of the best examples is the use of twitter — a micro-blogging platform where he individuals may be able to perform social network interactions and publish real-time in the Internet what they are currently doing. In fact, Facebook and twitter, two popular social network sites, are considered to be the leaders in modern communication technology and is gaining foothold in the market share Internet time use of individuals (Preece, 2000). Here, behavioral research is also indicating that individuals today are more keen on being able to constantly update to a specified for a specified audience what they are currently doing and therefore also be able to follow other people — be it their friends or people they do not know but wish to follow — which only reflects theoretical behavioral characteristics of human beings which claim they need to be able to receive information about other individuals in a society (Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007). In fact, in the recent presidential elections, and even today after Barack Obama had won the United States presidential election, the president is one of the top individuals who have the most number of followers — and she in turn constantly updates as twitter feed for individuals that follow his micro-blogging platform to know what he is doing, thinking, or considering as head of state of the most powerful country in the world. Yet another real and documented effect of the Internet and modern technology on today’s culture is its way affecting morality. Morality, defined, are various social norms that are claimed in society to have positive and beneficial effects especially with respect to individual and collective welfare. One of the most popular uses of the modern Internet and communication technology is its ability to publish opinions — in the forms of blogs, websites, or even social networks and commentary posts — without any real censorship except of course for some cases and countries like China (Chase & Mulvenon, 2002). It has often been claimed by moral philosophers that morality and conventional behavior is a faith by popular theories that are spread by social philosophers. In order to do this, usually, the main tools that are used are books and other documents. In modern times, such moral values have been facilitated and distribution with the help of the three main tools for mass communication — radio, print, and television. In all these fast scenarios and methods, the commonality is that individuals — and more recently organizations and corporations — are able to control the flow of information and are therefore also able to impose a moral structure and convention through their own perspectives (Yang, 2003). In the popularity of blogs and the Internet, however, information and conventional publishing has transcended from the controls of these individuals and organizations towards anyone who is able to access the Internet and has the ability to control such technology. In this age of the Internet, because of decreasing costs both of hardware and Internet access, that includes a significant large population. Therefore, as a result, and has been documented by research about the effects of Internet weblogs and social networks on perception and conventional welfare opinions, the Internet and technology has become a tool in order for such moral values to be shaped not anymore by the organizations we have indicated above but by the opinions of collective weblogs (T. J. Johnson & Kaye, 2004). However, as is the logical succession of the effects of weblogs to moral values, the next question in difficulty that were faced by the researchers is that weblogs, although a perfect avenue for the discussions and distribution of welfare discussions and morality, have the problem of large numbers. Although the numbers are fast-growing, as of the last estimate, if there are 500,000 active weblogs in the Internet today. However, a more surprising number is the estimated number of individuals who read those blogs which amounts to in around 50 million individuals. However, even among the difficulties that are faced by measuring moral standards and how the Internet and technology affects it, one avenue for research that has attracted attention is that political opinion and policy analysis by the lecture all body is getting more critical. Now, the electoral body has the ability to be informed from all perspectives from the political arena and public policy formulation. Before, the electoral were most significantly affected by advertising campaigns and television media. In research that has recently been made, during election times, the page hits of weblogs that focus on political opinion and policy formulation increase up to 12 times, with nonpartisan weblogs that just try to deliver the information in use as it is about public policy and candidate qualifications to be the most popular among readers according to analytics. Here, we see that the significant effects of how we shaped moral values and moral opinions have been deeply changed by the Internet and its ability for mass public information distribution without organizational or partisan influence — at least most of it. Recently, mass collaboration trends have also significantly affected the corrector respects of individuals. Today, the Internet is not anymore and having you for static information gathering but rather a place in order for individuals from across borders, nations, and even race and religion to be able to mass collaborate on projects and information. In fact, racism, one of the most powerful character traits that has stuck itself in human convention for over 500 years has been significantly changed by the Internet because interaction and social media — as well as mass collaboration — allows for individuals to understand different races without the lens of hypocrisy and discrimination. Racism, being a very powerful character trait of human history and contextual experience, is surprisingly weak as compared to the great durability of modern Internet technology and online collaboration for individuals to work with one another (Beckles, 2001). Although of course there are loopholes — such as the fact that one significant reason for the decrease in racism in collaboration is that individuals do not know the race of people they are working with — the Internet and technology is well on its way in order to, if not eliminate, then significantly lessen racial discrimination. Highlighted in indicated in this paper are just some of the significant changes that the Internet and modern technology has made to behavior, moral values, and character traits of human beings.

Tips for Writing an Art History Paper

Tips for Writing an Art History Paper You have been assigned an art history paper to write. You would like to finish your assignment on time with a minimum of stress, and your instructor fervently hopes to read an engaging, well-written paper. Here are some dos and donts to guide you, written by an art history professor who has graded thousands of these papers ranging from the superlative to the good, the bad and the phenomenally ugly. Choose a Topic You Love Look through an art history book, slowly and leisurely.Look through our list of art history topics for ideas. Good starting points are our lists of movements, artists bios, and image galleries.Pick a topic based on eye appeal and compelling personal interest. Fill Your Brain with Information Remember: a car works on gas, a brain works on info. Empty brain, empty writing.Research your topic using websites, books, and articles.Read the footnotes in the books and articles - they can lead to creative thinking. Be an Active Reader Ask yourself questions while you read and look up what you cant find or dont understand on the page.Take notes.Search the internet with the words, names, titles you learn.Write down interesting facts and thoughts that come to mind while you read. Writing Your Introduction Compose a thesis statement. Declare that you have noticed something about the art, building, artist, architect, critic, patron, or whatever your focus is for your analysis.Then, frame your thesis. Tell your reader about discovering information that can help us understand the work of art/building better. (For example, the French artist Paul Gauguin moved to Tahiti late in life. Your thesis analyzes his late paintings in terms of his Tahiti lifestyle. Youve read his biography, Noa, Noa and other sources for ideas to support your thesis.)If you are focusing on artworks, remember to put the artists name/artists names, the title(s) of the work(s) and the date (s) in the first paragraph. You can refer to the title(s) alone thereafter. Describe and Point Out What You Want the Reader to Notice If you are going to include the artists/architects biography, begin with a short summary. Unless your paper is a biography of the person, most of your paper should be about art, not life.Make sure your arguments are constructed in a parallel fashion: Establish a sequence of information.Consider the paragraph a unit of information. Each paragraph should discuss one topic within the quantity of information you plan to cover.Ideas for units of information or topics: appearance, medium and technique, narrative, iconography, history, artists biography, patronage, etc. - whatever will help you support your thesis.Iconography might require more than one paragraph, especially if your whole paper is about analyzing the iconography of a work of art.Write about the connections between what you described in these analyses and what you declared in the thesis statementFollow the same sequence of ideas for the second artwork, building, artist, architect, critic, patron, etc.Follow the same sequence for the third artwork, building, artist, architect, etc. When you have analyzed all the examples, synthesize: compare and contrast.Comparison: Dedicate one paragraph to discussing what is the same about the artworks, the building, the architects, the artists, the critics, the patrons, etc.Contrast: Dedicate one paragraph to discussing what is different about the artworks, the building, the architects, the artists, the critics, the patrons, etc. What Do You Want Your Reader to Learn from Your Essay? Reiterate the thesis.Remind your reader about your findings in a summary sentence or two.Persuade the reader that you have demonstrated that your thesis is soundly based on your findings.Optional: state that your analysis is important in terms of understanding a larger picture (but not too large). For examples, the artists other work from that period, the artists work all together, the artworks relationship to the movement or the artworks relationship to that moment in history. The connection should not open a new topic, but simply offer the reader food for thought and then declare this investigation is beyond the scope of your paper. (It demonstrates that you thought of it, but youre not going to go there.)DO NOT write that art history is wonderful and youve learned a lot. You are writing to your teacher, and s/he is tired of reading that sentence for the umpteenth time. Leave a good impression and avoid being trite. Editing Be sure to footnote/cite your sources in the body of the paper when you use information or an opinion from a book, article, website, etc.Make a list of your sources at the end of the paper. Follow your teachers instructions and/or visit a website on citation style or bibliography style. Ask the teacher which citation style s/he prefers.Check for the following:Titles for works of art should be in italics: The Birth of VenusFirst and last names begin with a capital letter. Exceptions include place and familial indicators including da, del, de, den and van, among others, unless the last name begins the sentence. (Van Gogh lived in Paris.)Months and days of the week begin with a capital letter.Language, nationalities and country names begin with a capital letter.Leonardo is not called da Vinci. Above All Do not wait until the last minute to begin your essay.Start your research after midterms.Start to write at least one week before the paper is due.Take the time to EDIT, EDIT, EDIT - be concise and clear.Ask your professor for help and advice as you write your paper - s/he will enjoy discussing the topic with you.

XML and ebXML Essays

XML and ebXML Essays XML and ebXML Essay XML and ebXML Essay ebXML is an acronym which stands for â€Å"Electronic Business Extensible Markup Language†. From ebXML.org website, the description says that it is a modular suite of specification that enables global electronic market by allowing enterprises around the world to conduct business over the internet. It can be likened to the English language, although different people from different nationalities speak of different language, English is there to facilitate communication and that is why it is considered as the international language. In the same way, ebXML is the language or a tool which businesses can use to have better communication with each other. However, we are not referring to simple communications here, as we are referring to those complicated processes that are taking place in the context of the electronic business. The complexities of different forms of technology utilized by different enterprises have reduced the compatibility of data shared between enterprises electronically. High rate of incompatibility can be blamed from the fact that enterprises do not have one man who does the preparation of the information to be shared, but instead they rely most of the preparation to their own experts. Information systems used by different enterprises in most cases do not produce outputs of common format, and that’s another issue of incompatibility. There came a time when XML was introduced to the market, and it was widely accepted and utilized in information sharing. However, the absence of one man to do the preparation is still a problem. XML based information shared by businesses where having different specifications, structures, and definition. Still businesses were not able to resolve the situation. This problem has long been recognized as a barrier to the success of enabling a global electr onic market. It has long been realized that the only solution is to develop a common or standard rules, tools, or guidelines of formatting information. It is also widely accepted that XML is effective and the problem with incompatibility between XML based information can be solved by creating an open technical framework containing to enable uniform and consistent use of XML. ebXML helps reduce the cost of information sharing among enterprises. Many enterprises have long been sharing information through the use of Electronic Data Interface and this method is expensive. ebXML on the other hand is an economy-of-scale and implementation is easier because it can be implemented through the internet and other available networks. Enterprises no longer worry of the high cost of paying for hand carry, mail service, or make subsequent faxes, making phone calls to send information to other enterprises. It facilitates market expansion by locating potential businesses to partner with from different locations around the world. There’s no need to worry of incompatibility or misunderstanding. ebXML offers a single framework of exchanging XML based information which enterprises having access to the system can use. ebXML is secured. All information registered and shared in an ebXML system is authenticated and regulated by security policy set by the ebXML supporters. Its specifications are supported and continually updated by OASIS , UN/CEFACT, and many other organizations aiming for achieving international standardizations of business operation. ebXML achieved compatibility by providing enterprises with standardized message structures, standardized business process sequence, clear business semantics, and standardized business trading agreements. This makes business to business transactions processing quicker and efficient regardless of geographical locations as long as they are having access to the network running an ebXML compliant system. Sample ebXML implementations is the Dealersphere, a web-service based integration implemented for the auto industry. Car dealers who registered with dealership was connected to each other by the dealersphere engine plugged into dealer’s LAN. Other implementation was conducted supported by CECID and Hongkong government was deployed in eInvoicing System for Metro Operator (MTRC), eProcurement system for HMV Hongkong and Sony Hongkong, and the Dangerous Goods Manifests Submission System, and many others. Other CECID contribution to ebXML implementation is the Hermes (ebMS), and ebMail for freebXML,org website. Other implementations are the ebXML Messaging Services Interoperability and Conformance Validation Test conducted by eBusinessReady, Electronic hiring of temporary staff by European openExchange. Implementation of ebXML The prefix â€Å"eb† may have made the term â€Å"ebXML† as different from XML. Implementing ebXML compliant document structures can be done manually or automatically. No need to worry about purchasing new machines, it is designed to be independent. It can run on machines which support standard internet transfer protocol and XML. Existing computer systems supports the two basic requirements. Doing it manually requires not only knowledge in XML, but also of the internationally agreed standards of how XML should be used. Details of how ebXML is to be implemented are found on ebXML specifications. OASIS and UN/CEFACT accepts membership for those who want to participate in ebXML world. By joining to these sites, you can work with international experts who are collaborating efforts for the development of ebXML, and promoting it to the global electronic market. On the other hand, doing it automatically means using application software which generates ebXML compliant documents. Using ebXML compliant software is quicker because it provides something similar to the click and drag environment. There are downloadable ebXML editor from freebxml.org. Enterprises can create their own network of ebXML users. However, there is one most important requirement for an ebXML enabled interaction between enterprises, and that is the registry. The registry is a central repository of all the business processes, business profiles, process specifications, and data interchange classifications. In short, a repository or registry stores all relevant information. The registry mush have a graphical user interface where users can query, update stored information, insert new information, etc. Free ebXML registry can be found on the internet. There are also existing ebXML registry which are already implemented in various places around the world.   One must only need to search for these registries, inquire, and then register. Once the registration is complete, a registered enterprise can start registering his business processes specification, business profile, and other information pertaining to its business. All information registered on the ebXML registry are made available to all visitors querying on th e registry, which made it easier to find potential business partners. Once business partners agreed to work together, they will sign a Collaborative Protocol Agreement. Once the agreement is finished, the participating parties can start working with one another. Conclusion ebXML is a very effective tool for engaging in a global electronic market. It is less expensive, easier to implement, and supported by international standards. Many enterprises will soon implement ebXML which will enable them to meet on the internet regardless of geographical location.

Dónde pedir información migratoria de todo tipo

Dà ³nde pedir informacià ³n migratoria de todo tipo Es muy comà ºn que los migrantes o los extranjeros con visas no inmigrantes tengan dudas sobre cul es exactamente su estatus migratorio o sobre asuntos que pueden afectarlo. En este artà ­culo se explica cà ³mo obtener informacià ³n de primera mano sobre situacià ³n de casos pendientes ante el Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) y con las embajadas o consulados. Asimismo, cà ³mo saber si una persona est detenida, tiene una orden de deportacià ³n o de arresto, cà ³mo comunicarse con el Servicio Nacional de Visas, cà ³mo consultar si se es ciudadano americano. cà ³mo se puede solicitar un pasaporte o dà ³nde estn las oficinas locales del ICE. Y otros otros telà ©fonos importantes sobre asuntos que afectan muy de cerca a migrantes. Consultar con el USCIS Si se tiene un caso pendiente con el USCIS, existen diferentes modos de comunicarse y buscar informacià ³n. En persona Todos los extranjeros que se encuentren legalmente en Estados Unidos pueden usar el servicio de InfoPass.  Se pide una cita y en un corto plazo de tiempo se puede acudir a una oficina de Inmigracià ³n. Allà ­ un oficial con conocimiento del tipo de casos sobre el que existe la duda examinar la documentacià ³n que se le presenta y ofrecer una opinià ³n profesional. Es importante subrayar que los inmigrantes indocumentados no pueden utilizar este servicio. Y que puede tener consecuencias muy adversas presentarse voluntariamente en unas oficinas de Inmigracià ³n, como por ejemplo, ser arrestado en el momento. Por internet, correo electrà ³nico, mensaje de texto Se puede utilizar el sistema del USCIS de My Case Status para verificar cà ³mo est la tramitacià ³n. Es necesario saber el nà ºmero de caso que es el que aparece en la primera carta que se recibe del USCIS. Por correo Si se ha enviado una peticià ³n o solicitud a una Oficina de Campo (Field Office), se puede enviar una carta preguntando por el caso. Incluir los siguiente: Nombre completo y direccià ³nAlien Registration NumberFecha de nacimientoFecha y lugar de la aplicacià ³n sobre la que se preguntaEl Nà ºmero del caso Fotocopia legible de la à ºltima carta que se recibià ³ del USCISY, si ya ha tenido lugar una entrevista o la toma de huellas digitales, indicar la fecha y el lugar donde se realizà ³. Militares Los miembros del Ejà ©rcito de los Estados Unidos tienen reglas especiales en algunos asuntos migratorios. Para informarse y resolver inquietudes que les afecten directamente o a familiares pueden marcar gratis al 1-877-247-4645, de lunes a viernes de 8.am a 4.30 pm hora CST. Tambià ©n pueden escribir un correo a: militaryinfo.nscdhs.gov. Recordar que algunos familiares de militares o reservistas o veteranos que se encuentran en situacià ³n de indocumentados pueden beneficiarse del Parole in Place y obtener asà ­ los papeles. Centro Nacional de Visas (NVC) Las personas que estn pendientes de una visa de inmigrante pueden ponerse en contacto con el NVC siguiendo pautas establecidas. Si la inquietud que se tiene es sobre cunto tiempo hay que esperar, la informacià ³n puede saberse verificando cada vez las fechas de prioridad que publica el Departamento de Estado en el Boletà ­n de Visas. Detenidos y à ³rdenes Existe una base de datos donde es posible verificar si una persona est detenida por las autoridades migratorias. Y si no aparece en el sistema, existen telà ©fonos en los que los familiares o los abogados de la persona que se cree que puede estar detenida pueden pedir informacià ³n. Si una persona est detenida se puede averiguar informacià ³n sobre la prisià ³n y su direccià ³n en esta aplicacià ³n. Recordar que a los detenidos se les puede enviar dinero y paquetes. Adems, si se cree que se puede tener una orden de deportacià ³n en contra, es conveniente verificarlo.   Cortes de Inmigracià ³n Si se quiere saber el estatus de un caso, se puede marcar a cualquiera de los dos telà ©fonos siguientes: 800-898-7180240-314-1500 Si se desea pedir informacià ³n sobre el rà ©cord migratorio que pueden tener las cortes, marcar al 703-605-1297. Tramitacià ³n Visas no inmigrantes Asà ­ se puede verificar los tiempos que tardan en tramitarse las distintas visas no inmigrantes segà ºn el consulado o embajada en la que se aplica.   Si existe la tentacià ³n de aplicar en una oficina consular distinta a la del lugar habitual al que se reside, conviene tener en cuenta cules son los posibles inconvenientes. Verificacià ³n de Resultados de la loterà ­a de Visas (green card) Todos los aà ±os el gobierno de Estados Unidos celebra una loterà ­a gratuita de tarjetas de residencia. El sorteo se conoce como Visas de la Diversidad y los resultados se dan a conocer en mayo.   Oficinas   La direccià ³n de las oficinas de campo del USCIS se puede verificar aquà ­. Hacia el final de la pgina aparece un mapa, clickar en el estado en el que se busca la informacià ³n. Para buscar la direccià ³n exacta de los Centro de Apoyo, donde entre otras cosas se toman las huellas digitales y las fotos, se puede utilizar esta aplicacià ³n.   Y aquà ­ se puede buscar por estado la direccià ³n de las oficinas en las que se llevan a cabo entrevistas de asilo que han sido previamente pautadas. Si se busca contactar con la oficina local de Aplicacià ³n y Expulsià ³n (ERO, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), aquà ­ estn las direcciones fà ­sicas y las de correo electrà ³nico, por estado. Pasaporte americano En ocasiones es necesario obtener urgentemente un pasaporte porque se viaja con carcter inmediato y o bien no se tiene o bien est expirado. En estos casos, cerrar una cita marcando al 1-877-987-2778, antes de presentarse en una de las Agencias de Pasaporte Regionales.   Si se sigue el procedimiento ordinario, en tiempo normal o acelerado, estas son las oficinas en las que se puede aplicar.   Tener en cuenta los casos en los que se puede renovar por correo y los requerimientos especiales para menores.  Si se est fuera de los Estados Unidos, contactar con nuestra embajada o consulado ms cercano. Por à ºltimo, si se ha solicitado un pasaporte, aquà ­ se puede verificar online el estatus del caso.   Dudas sobre ciudadanà ­a Aunque parezca increà ­ble, lo cierto es que muchas personas creen que pueden ser ciudadanas americanas pero no lo saben con certeza. El principal problema es que la ley ha cambiado en varias ocasiones y por esos algunas personas no tienen claro si conservan la ciudadanà ­a o la adquirieron sin saberlo. Siempre que se tenga una duda razonable sobre la posibilidad de ser ciudadano americano se puede marcar al  1800-375-5282.  Ahà ­ encontrar ayuda. Tambià ©n es importante informase sobre quà © hacer para saber sobre si es posible recuperar la ciudadanà ­a que en aplicacià ³n de leyes pasadas se perdià ³ involuntariamente. En todo caso, antes de preguntar es aconsejable informarse sobre las reglas bsicas que regulan la ciudadanà ­a y cà ³mo se adquiere. Embajadas y Consulados Las Embajadas y los consulados americanos tienen al servicio del pà ºblico pginas webs donde brindan importante informacià ³n. Tambià ©n ofrecen sus telà ©fonos de contacto y correo electrà ³nico. Pero hay que entender que las oficinas consulares de los Estados Unidos no son los abogados particulares de nadie.   Las Embajadas y los consulados sà ­ que brindan ayuda a los ciudadanos estadounidenses que residen en el exterior. Para facilitar su labor es altamente recomendable inscribirse para tal fin. Reportar un ilà ­cito migratorio Se puede marcar al 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, o lo que es lo mismo: 1-866-347-2423. Tambià ©n se puede llenar en inglà ©s este formulario.   Telà ©fono para reportar abuso laboral En el 1-888-7581 se puede denunciar todo tipo de abuso, desde el no pagar salarios legales a acosos laborales o sexuales. Pueden denunciar todos los trabajadores, sin importar su estatus legal.   Violencia domà ©stica y otros tipos de crà ­menes Cualquier persona puede denunciar, tambià ©n sin que se tenga en consideracià ³n el estatus legal. Pero como aquà ­ se explica, salvo en casos en los que por seguridad hay que llamar inmediatamente, las và ­ctimas indocumentadas deberà ­an consultar antes con un abogado migratorio.   Los telà ©fonos a los que se puede marcar son: Là ­nea abierta nacional contra la violencia domà ©stica: 1-800-799-7233Là ­nea abierta de la red nacional contra el asalto sexual, violacià ³n, abuso e incesto (RAINN, por sus siglas en inglà ©s): 1-800-656-4673Centro nacional de nià ±os desaparecidos y explotados: 1-800-843-5678Centro nacional para và ­ctimas de crà ­menes: 1-800-394-2255 Otros telà ©fonos importantes En todo Estados Unidos y sus territorios se puede marcar al 911 para contactar con la policà ­a.   Para asuntos migratorios lo ms adecuado es contar con un abogado reputado. Y, si no se puede pagarlo, intentar obtener ayuda a travà ©s de organizaciones que brindan asistencia legal a migrantes. Por à ºltimo, el sistema consular mexicano en los Estados Unidos ha habilitado un telà ©fono gratis al que se puede marcar desde cualquier paà ­s para ayudar a su migrantes nacionales. Funciona muy bien y presta ayuda beneficiosa. Este artà ­culo no es asesorà ­a legal. Sà ³lo tiene carcter informativo.

Election Commerical Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Election Commerical - Research Paper Example The narrator repeats the words â€Å"strength†, â€Å"restraint†, and â€Å"leadership† as he introduces Reagan to the viewers, and juxtaposes Reagan with President Carter in order to show a contrast in their policies. â€Å"Peace is lost when such strength disappears,† says Reagan, as he goes on to describe his perspective on negotiating with the Soviet Union, and finally claims that â€Å"hope, confidence, and facts† are at the heart of his strategy. â€Å"The time is now,† concludes the narrator. â€Å"Reagan for president.† The feeling the video gives is split. In the opening sequence, it shows images of worrying foreigners, while the narrator speaks ominously over the droning of an air raid siren. The viewer comes to feel a sense of concern as the narrator repeats the word â€Å"slowly† while naming off conflicts that the US has been involved in, starting with Korea. It then shifts focus, using a condemning tone while menti oned countries where Carter’s foreign policy has be ineffective—â€Å"Angola, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan.† This shift in focus does not outwardly suggest that Carter is to blame for the Iranian hostage crisis, nor that he will lead the US into another war. However, it surely invites the viewer to make that connection based on the flow from describing future risks to the current leader’s shortcomings. The video then transitions into a scene of Ronald Reagan giving a speech, then a television interview. This is where the mood splits, and suddenly the video presents confidence and reassurance, indicating that Reagan is the man with the answers to the problems that Carter presents. The Reagan half uses live quotations and conveys future hope and strategies, focusing on Reagan as the answer. The context of this video is a chaotic political environment, where President Jimmy Carter, the incumbent, was mired in the details and faced with a critical opponent who w as quite aware of all his faults. Ronald Reagan was the two-term governor of California and former actor who faced-off against Carter in 1980. He had a fiscal reputation that would give him great appeal during the inflation problems of the time, but also used his charisma as an actor to be a confident, strong, and effective speaker who could engage listeners and convey his messages with success. While the economic issues were forefront in this election, and his plans for dealing with them well-developed, the Iranian-hostage crisis unexpectedly dominated public opinion as 53 Americans were held in captivity over the course of a year in the American embassy in Teheran. Possibly increasing the strength of his ballot, Reagan selected UN Ambassador George H.W. Bush as his running mate, and the focus of the race shifted greatly to what the Reagan-Bush ticket could do for America’s relations abroad. What was most important in 1980 was indeed US foreign policy, and this is the primar y area where Carter experienced stress and criticism. Carter’s approach to foreign policy was humble and restrained, which may have been perceived as weak by some. This perception of weakness increased during the Iranian hostage crisis. Carter staged a failed rescue attempt of Americans held hostage in Teheran in April of 1980, and as a result, Americans at home grew frustrated. Elizabeth drew is quoted in a description of the political atmosphere as saying "Fairly or not, [the hostage crisis] came to symbolize the question of whether Carter was a leader, whether he was competent, whether he was strong." The issue of who could keep the peace and who was likely to let it slip away caused the election to be very close by October 1980 (Jimmy). The Iranian hostage crisis led to a severing of relations between the United States and the newly formed Islamic Republic of

Impact of IT Outsourcing and Off-shoring on Companies Research Paper

Impact of IT Outsourcing and Off-shoring on Companies - Research Paper Example Impact of IT Outsourcing and Off-shoring on Companies Information technology is an important factor in the modern world given the advance in technology. It helps firms innovate and produce high quality products that meet customer needs and demands. Due to changing business environment, firms have found it necessary to reduce operating costs while exploiting the comparative advantages of human IT skills offered by other countries (Manaschi 87). Therefore, companies have opted to outsource critical IT skills from other firms from other nations that are endowed with the expertise. In spite of the benefit of cost reduction and improved operations, IT outsourcing poses security and generic risk issues to the firm (McKendrick 130). If these issues are well managed, the outsourcing firm is likely to benefit through increased innovativeness and high product quality that could positively improve customer satisfaction hence increasing customer loyalty. This study examines outsourcing and explores outsourcing as applied in IT organizations. Outsourcing is the act in which a company or an organization pays another firm to produce goods or offer services on their behalf (Blokdjik 98). In many cases, the company could have produced the goods or offered the service themselves but sometimes it involves higher costs. Off-shoring on the other hand is a business process that companies use when they decide to relocate their operations to lower cost locations, mainly overseas.

Business law case study questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business law questions - Case Study Example Thus under the general notion, the company is liable for its debts and not the shareholders. (Ridley 2011) The landmark decision in respect of company incorporation was of Salomon v Salomon ([1897] AC 22) where Mr. Salomon, formed a company which included his wife, five children and himself (so as to fulfill requirements of shareholders as per the Companies Act prevailing at that time). He went on to purchase the sole trading business which was operated by him albeit overvaluing the business, but that too because of his confidence in the business. The company went into liquidation and the liquidator evaluated that the company was a sham and was an agent of Salomon and conclusion was that he should be held personally liable to the debts of the company. The House of Lords reversing the decision of the Court of Appeal observed that it was reasonable if shareholders held shares merely to fulfill technical requirements and so the procedure of setting up a business could be used by any per son and if so done it would be a separate legal entity. The current Companies Act 2006 (s.7) allows a company to be formed by a single person. The next decision that was made by the House of Lords was Macaura v Northern Assurance Co. ([1925] AC 619) the court went on to say that under corporate personality assets belong to the company (Dignam et al 2012). The courts have scrutinized the concept of separate legal entity by lifting the veil of incorporation, whereby rights and liabilities of company and shareholders are treated as the same thereby removing the concept of limited liability as a result of which the shareholders are held liable for the acts of the company. This is known as lifting the veil, which is done mainly where the company is found to be a â€Å"sham† or â€Å"fraud†. The current position in respect of lifting the veil is that of Adams v Cape Industries plc where it was held that the veil would be lifted only if the company is created with the intent or purpose of fraud or where the reason was for avoidance of an existing obligation. (Dignam et al 2012) In respect of the position of McDaid Development (Ireland) Ltd and its shareholder, it is important to note that McDaid is a private limited company and has one shareholder who owns all the shares. Under the Companies Act 2006, a single person can also set up a company. The benefit that the shareholder would derive from the company is that of limited liability which means liability would be limited to the extent of unpaid shares and the shareholder would not be held accountable for the losses that have been incurred by McDaid Development (Ireland) Ltd. Q2. The Companies Act 2006 prescribes several duties on company directors. Discuss the general duties of directors according to the law. Analyze and discuss the duties breached by Peter McDaid as the managing director of McDaid Developments (Ireland) Ltd. In accordance with the provisions of section 171 of the Companies Act 2006, t he directors must act within powers and to exercise them for a proper purpose. If a director breaches the same such breach is generally considered to be a breach of the director’s duty to act in good faith. Difficulties have arisen when the directors act in good faith but not for a proper purpose. In the decision of the Privy Council in Howard Smith Ltd. v.

How does the UK degree compared to the French degree Essay

How does the UK degree compared to the French degree - Essay Example Moreover, investing in degrees in some countries is a risky investment. In countries such as Italy and France, degree certificates are often tarnished. With such eventualities, students in such countries would rather not invest in education. In France, the entry level for students in first year degree programs is 48%. Of this number, 38% proceed to complete the programs (Arias Ortiz & Dehon, 2013). Therefore, in order for students to remain relevant in the European and the global market various strategies are employed. Students improve the strength of their degree credential by joining masters as well as postgraduate programs. In relation to statistics on the United Kingdom, degree programs are considerable popular investments. Despite an increase for fees, students still fill spaces in UK universities. However, research has found a drop in the number of students from affluent background. Despite this, the number of students for degrees in the United Kingdom is considerable higher than in other countries across Europe. This paper provides a comparison between French and United Kingdom degree qualifications. It provides detailed information on qualification requirements, entry and as well as other standards. Self-study is an important aspect in the progression of students in degree programs. Self-studies assist individuals develop their discipline levels, imagination, and observation and exploration skills. Se lf study programs have been on the offing in educational programs. Individuals are now able to learn from online platforms. This comes through long-distance education or online classrooms. Both France and UK now offer degree programs for self study. In order to gain entry into a French university, students need to have passed their entry-level exams in their countries of origin. For the nationals of the country, individuals need to have held a baccalaurà ©at qualification. In spite of prospective

How far can Bernhard Schlink's novel 'The Reader' be understood as an Essay

How far can Bernhard Schlink's novel 'The Reader' be understood as an examination of the role played by history in the construction of cultural identities - Essay Example By paralleling these events and the consequences for one nation of people, Schlink makes the point that history contributes to the construction of cultural identities. Schlink speaks through Michael Berg, the narrator of the first part of his novel The Reader. Through Berg, the idea of guilt by association transcend to mark the cultural identity of post war Germany. Berg writes: While acknowledging the Third Reich’s active role in the atrocities of World War II, and his acquiescent complicity under the auspices of the Third Reich, Berg is also accepting that the entire nation of Germans has been stained by the war crimes. â€Å"It did not just apply to what had happened in the Third Reich. The fact that Jewish gravestones were being defaced with swastikas, that so many old Nazis had made careers in the courts, the administration, and the universities, that the Federal Republic did not recognize the state of Israel for many years, that emigration and resistance were handed down as traditions less often than a life of conformity—all this filed us with shame, even when we could point at the guilty parties.† (Schlink, 169-170) All of the countries attributes, past and present are skewered by recollections of this unpleasant past. In this way, Germans can rarely take pride as a culture in their accomplishments and if and when they do, that pride is fractured by the collective guilt and shame that blemishes the country’s history. Berg’s love affair with and his feelings for Hanna an SS guard are symbolic of the dilemma for Germans cultural identity. The following excerpt from The Reader is demonstrative of this kind of cultural symbolism: â€Å"The worst were the dreams in which a hard, imperious, cruel Hanna aroused me sexually; I woke from them fill of longing and shame and rage. And full of fear about who I really was.† (Schlink, 47) Berg’s feeling for

Legal Framework in Employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Legal Framework in Employment - Essay Example The burden to prove that the employee has been unfairly dismissed lies with the employer to give sufficient reasons to justify the dismissal. Employers have defences in law to justify their reasons and prove that the dismissal was fair. This was seen in (British Leyland (UK) Ltd v Swift, 1981), where the court held that the test that should be applied when determining whether there has been a fair dismissal was whether it was reasonable for the employer to have dismissed the employee on the basis of gross misconduct which had been found. The same was seen in (Iceland Frozen Foods Limited v Jones, 1983) where the band of reasonableness test was laid down. It was held that, in determining the fairness of dismissal, the employment tribunal ought to consider whether the conduct of the employer was reasonable. The provisions of the Employment Rights Act, 1996, protect employees under a contract of employment. One provision is involved that every employee has the right not to be unfairly dismissed by their employer, (Employment Relations Act 1996, s 94). Following this Act Craig is covered by the provisions of the Act, to claim a remedy for unfair dismissal under section 94. If employees want to qualify for protection under section 94, they must have been in continuous employment for a period that is not less than one year before the end of the effective date when their contract is terminated, (Employment Relations Act 1996, s 108). The issue of whether an employee would have been dismissed anyway irrespective of the procedural failings, was set forth in the Polkey rule, (Polkey v AE Dayton Services Ltd, 1987). The Employments Rights Act in section 94 makes provisions that employees have the right not to be unfairly dismissed from employment. procedural fairness examines whether the dismissal was carried out in a procedurally fair manner. This is in

How far can Bernhard Schlink's novel 'The Reader' be understood as an Essay

How far can Bernhard Schlink's novel 'The Reader' be understood as an examination of the role played by history in the construction of cultural identities - Essay Example By paralleling these events and the consequences for one nation of people, Schlink makes the point that history contributes to the construction of cultural identities. Schlink speaks through Michael Berg, the narrator of the first part of his novel The Reader. Through Berg, the idea of guilt by association transcend to mark the cultural identity of post war Germany. Berg writes: While acknowledging the Third Reich’s active role in the atrocities of World War II, and his acquiescent complicity under the auspices of the Third Reich, Berg is also accepting that the entire nation of Germans has been stained by the war crimes. â€Å"It did not just apply to what had happened in the Third Reich. The fact that Jewish gravestones were being defaced with swastikas, that so many old Nazis had made careers in the courts, the administration, and the universities, that the Federal Republic did not recognize the state of Israel for many years, that emigration and resistance were handed down as traditions less often than a life of conformity—all this filed us with shame, even when we could point at the guilty parties.† (Schlink, 169-170) All of the countries attributes, past and present are skewered by recollections of this unpleasant past. In this way, Germans can rarely take pride as a culture in their accomplishments and if and when they do, that pride is fractured by the collective guilt and shame that blemishes the country’s history. Berg’s love affair with and his feelings for Hanna an SS guard are symbolic of the dilemma for Germans cultural identity. The following excerpt from The Reader is demonstrative of this kind of cultural symbolism: â€Å"The worst were the dreams in which a hard, imperious, cruel Hanna aroused me sexually; I woke from them fill of longing and shame and rage. And full of fear about who I really was.† (Schlink, 47) Berg’s feeling for

The Yellow Wallpaper - Reading Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Yellow Wallpaper - Reading Response - Essay Example Considering the lonely and bored state of the narrator, one could certainly understand her obsession with the color and patterns on the yellow wallpaper, as she comments, â€Å"It is the strangest yellow that wallpaper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw- not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things (Gilman 3).† However, the themes and patterns that this first person narrator sees in the yellow wall paper are not limited to a senseless and misplaced imagination, but rather are related to the issues and problems being faced by the narrator, in the context of her position and status in life. Yet, in a way the story The Yellow Wallpaper throughout remains uncertain and unclear about the narrator’s mental state and health. The other thing is that being limited to the confines of the upstairs nursery; the narrator is left with nothing to do, but, to think about the ugly yellow wallpaper with irregular patterns. At the start of the st ory the patterns and designs on the wallpaper appear senseless and meaningless to the narrator. In fact she positively finds the wallpaper to be boring and uninteresting. However, as the condition of the narrator worsens, this wallpaper begins to take an entire new meaning and importance for her. The wallpaper emerges to be the canvass on which she projects the imprints of her disturbed mental state and her suppressed emotions and aspirations. As her mental condition deteriorates, and perhaps she begins to lose stability, the wallpaper becomes the only puzzle that begins to possess and dominate her. Her occupation with the wall paper goes on increasing. In fact she begins to get confident that the themes and patterns she is able to identify in the wallpaper could be traced by nobody else. As the story proceeds, the narrator begins to lose interest in the people and gets more and more involved with the wallpaper. The wallpaper actually happens to be the only outlet where the narrator could vent her thoughts and aspirations. As her anger increases, she begins to engage in paranoid speculations regarding Jennie and John. â€Å"The fact is that I am getting a little afraid of John. He seems very queer sometimes, and even Jennie has an inexplicable look (Gilman 13).† Finding peace and happiness only in the wallpaper, the narrator slowly begins to merge her identity with the wallpaper, while distancing herself from the other people in her life. The narrator begins to see one other woman creeping behind the patterns in the wallpaper, which is perhaps some repressed aspect of her own personality. It is only after the tracing of the creeping woman in the wallpaper that the things get fast and racy, perhaps indicative of the narrators further decent into mental disturbance and illness. The expression of the narrator gets more confused and disjointed, yet seems to have a meaning and pattern of its own. The yellow wallpaper perhaps is symbolic of the stereotypical state of the women in the society of her times, where she is forced to come out with some sense and meaning within the confines of the physical and mental space that is allocated to her. The narrator once rightly says

Why you choose Emory as a possible college choice Essay Example for Free

Why you choose Emory as a possible college choice Essay Prior to the Berlin Blockade, France and Great Britain were exploiting the Germans for repayment of their WWII effort. They were, in effect, funneling the Marshall Plan money intended for Germany into their own countries. The need for cooperation among West Europeans to overcome the Blockade by means of an airlift helped to convince France and Great Britain and others that a stronger West Germany was necessary. Otherwise, a weak West Germany would lead to repeated attempts at takeover or disruption by the Soviets. Economic cooperation among the West European nations via the Marshall Plan had been one of the desired features of the Plan from the outset. The Berlin Blockade, as a part of the cold War, reinforced this aspect. Not only was there a necessity for economic cooperation to the point of economic integration, but military cooperation could provide safety from subversion in Western Europe. Therefore, mutual defense pacts were instituted as a part of the North American Treaty Organization (NATO). This was the first long term military alliance that the United States had ever entered into (Kunz par. 3). It meant a recognition that American interests, necessitating a continuing American effort, were at stake in the Cold War in Europe. It meant that Western Europeans had to have a greater degree of economic and military cooperation than ever before to thwart the Soviet threat. Marshall Plan aid gave the West Europeans room to maneuver for opposition and bought time to further this maneuver. The Marshall Plan pushed the recipient countries toward financial stability; to fewer controls than a planned economy would have, and opened these countries to trade. For every dollar the West European country received, the provisions of the Marshall Plan stipulated that the country also put up a dollar of their currency and the administrators of the Plan ensured that external and internal expenditures of that country went to further the goals of the Plan. Relatively soon after the Marshall Plan was proposed and certainly by the time it was signed into law, the Plan led the United States’ charge in the Cold War against Soviet interests. If Western Europe had succumbed to Soviet pressures, the Cold War might have continued to this day and perhaps a worst outcome than that would now be a part of contemporary history. The Cold War was also waged by means other than the economic ones since propaganda, assassination, and proxy wars were going full blast until the fall of the Soviets in 1991. The existence of launch codes and the practice of scenarios for nuclear war were in place during the Cold War. Fortunately, the Marshall Plan succeeded. In fact it has been called an extraordinary success with the resulting stable countries as being the envy of the world (DeLong and Eichengreen 1). The Plan alone did not save Western Europe. It created and helped to maintain an economic environment that allowed of a mix of market forces and government regulation. Too much either way could have made for many difficulties. It did allow victory in the Cold War in Western Europe. Communist influence in the region was greatly reduced. The cooperation on economic matters within Western Europe was extended to NATO. NATO survived the end of the Marshall Plan. The Plan ended in 1951, as scheduled. Its continuance was prevented by the rising costs of the Korean War and increased opposition to the Plan in the US Congress. By then the Marshall Plan had done its work. It had become the basis for the political and economic Western alliance as it waged the Cold War. Works Cited Cold War. 19 Nov. 2005. Wikipedia. 17 Nov. 2005.

Fredrick Douglas And Harriet Jacobs Essay example -- American History

During the 1800s, slaves received treatment comparable to that of livestock. They were mere possessions of white men stripped of almost every last bit of humanity in them. African-Americans were constricted to this state of mind by their owners vicious treatment, but also the practice of keeping them uneducated. Keeping the slaves illiterate hindered them from understanding the world around them. Slave owners knew this. The slaves who were able to read and write always rebelled more against their masters. Frederick Douglass, author of "A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," and Harriet Jacobs, author of "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," were prime examples. Both slaves had been taught how read and write at a young age, and both gained their freedom by escaping to the northern states. What they had learned also helped them stay free while in the northern states after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 which left no slave truly free. The literate slaves thought wit h a more free mind and developed a sense of self-identity and denied the identity of a slave. Literate slaves caught on to the immorality and injustice of slavery on black people. Another problem slave owners had with literate slaves was the potential for them to educate other slaves and give them thoughts of escaping or helping other slaves escape. Frederick Douglas and Harriet Jacobs both wrote of this in their books. Douglass was separated from his mother at an early age in order to prevent any feelings of attachment to her. His father was a white man, he might have been the man responsible for separating him from his mother. As a young child on the plantation, Douglass was exposed to the abuse of slave women received from their masters. Thi... ...rson's writing meant nothing legally, it helped out when escaping to freedom. Jacobs was able to send letters to Dr. Flint from inside her grandmother's attic space. She kept him traveling the northern states looking for her by saying she was in that state in a letter and had the postmark from that state. This was a very clever strategy on her part that ultimately played a big role in her gaining her freedom. If these slaves were not literate, it might have been more difficult to gain their freedom. Literacy saved Harriet Jacobs' and Frederick Douglass' sense of humanity from the dehumanizing institution of slavery. With the knowledge they had acquired, they published their books, "A Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass" and "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl." They also played a huge role in the abolitionist movement and in advocating human rights.

Essay --

Death Sentence is not an Effective Deterrent Experts have shown that the death penalty has not proved to be a strong deterrent (Michael, 2009). They also believe that life imprisonment is better deterrent than capital punishment as it spoils the whole life of the criminal that way instilling the fear in other possibility criminal (Michael, 2009). Some criminologists states that â€Å"society is brutalized by the use of the death penalty, and this increases the likelihood of more murder† (Michael, 2009). This means that it increases the chance of future murders in societies. Statistics expose that states that do not have the death penalty in the US have lower murder rates compared to other states(Michael, 2009). On the other hand likewise, murder rates are higher in the US states that practice the death penalty than they are in Canada or Europe where the death penalty is not practiced (Parks,2009). The reason for its inefficacy as deterrence may be because there are some holes in the legal system of many countries. There are several examples when murders are committed in anger and without thinking of the consequences. Prominent politicians believe that the death penalty may be ineffective as a deterrent because murders often happen under the influence of drugs or alcohol; "It is my own experience that those executed in Texas were not deterred by the existence of the death penalty law. I think in most cases you'll find that the murder was committed under severe drug and alcohol abuse (Hood &Hoyle, 2008)". A survey done by the criminologists in US shows that the majority argued against the death penalty on deterrence. It was based on the questionnaires and 88 percent of responders stated that ... ...ountries have abolished the death punishment, while other countries still practice this penalty. This essay has argued that there is an urgent need to abolish capital punishment in all countries. Possible reasons for retaining the death penalty, including the idea of revenge , effectiveness of the death penalty and the right to life have been examined. This paper has also explored arguments that support abolishing death penalty. These include the failure of this punishment to deter criminals, the right to life and the social balance. Whether the death penalty is abolished or not depends on the legal system of any country. However, human life and safety should be respected by government. It is clear that further research is needed in this area, there would seem to be considerable evidence that all governments in the world should abolish the death penalty.

Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA)

1. Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA) is a corporate strategy’s focal point and it is present. SCA is facilitates the improvement and maintenance of an enterprise’s ability to of earning returns on its investment that is higher than the cost incurred in the investment. Since market competition is inevitable and keeps on increasing as businesses and technologies take a more modern avenue, an enterprise has to survive in this competition by employing a unique value-creating strategy.This survival is only achievable by the adoption of the sustainable facet of competitive advantage. Moreover, the market conditions undergo frequent transformations and as a result, development of existing and creation of new resources and capabilities by the enterprise ought to be instituted. The above constitutes the elements of sustainable competitive advantage (Thompson, Bernard, 2003). Business organizations aim at being distinct and able to reproduce in their activities. These alien ate them from their competitors in the eyes of the consumer.Since the competitors are not in a position to duplicate these values, the firm remains to be sustainably competitive. 2. Organizations ought to utilize software service providers for all their software needs because of various reasons that are very consequential to the organization in question. To begin with, these providers more often than not offer software that is genuine and free from bugs. This ensures that the outcomes realized from the use of the software are certainly correct.Guarantee is provided for the software. Besides, technical support is always available from the providers hence enables the employees of the organization make queries in areas that they find challenging through out. Updates for the software are also catered for by the providers and this lowers the maintenance cost. Software service providers beep up the security of the organization’s sensitive information since they are more secretive a nd they are obliged to compensate for any malfunctioning or failure of their product.Additionally, in choosing of the service provider, the firm ought to assess compatibility of the software with their systems, the ease to access the provider for updates or modifications and also the technological qualifications of the service providers (Thompson, Bernard, 2003). More important, the cost to be incurred in providing the service should be within the organization’s ability.

Environmental Groups Essay

Environmental Groups Tiffany Tremaine May 2, 2011 Environmental Policies 310 Instructor: David Monda Environmental Working Group known as EWG is an Environmental interest group working to protect kids from toxic chemicals in our food, water, air, and other products we use every day. The mission of the Environmental Working Group is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. EWG is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, founded in 1993 by Ken Cook and Richard Wiles. In 2002, we founded the EWG Action Fund, a 501(c) (4) organization that advocates on Capitol Hill for health-protective and subsidy-shifting policies. EWG specializes in providing useful resources (like Skin Deep and the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticidesâ„ ¢) to consumers while simultaneously pushing for national policy change. EWG two main goals are to protect the most vulnerable segments of the human population—children, babies, and infants in the womb—from health problems attributed to a wide array of toxic contaminants and to replace federal policies, including government subsidies that damage the environment and natural resources, with policies that invest in conservation and sustainable development. Their research brings to light unsettling facts that you have a right to know. It shames and shakes up polluters and their lobbyists. It rattles politicians and shapes policy. It persuades bureaucracies to rethink science and strengthen regulation. It provides practical information you can use to protect your family and community. And because our investigations and interactive websites tend to make news, you’ve probably heard about them. EWG primary funding is donations, grants, corporations backing, as well as interest and support from every day people. The cost is whatever the member (supporter) would like to donate. There are many different ways to donate and the donations can either be tax right offs or not. EWG gives many ways to donate, credit card or check, and their supporters can either make a one-time contribution or pay monthly. The donation helps support EWG Action Fund’s Kid-Safe Chemicals Campaign fight for organic produce, get dangerous chemicals out of your food and water, and protect your favorite national parks from mining destruction. In 2009 and 2010 EWG have accomplished Toxic chemical reform, Energy policy, Banning BPA, Highlighting cell phone radiation risks, Shedding light on secret chemicals, Pushing for more effective sunscreens, Banning phthalates, Phasing out Deca, Protecting ground water from gas-drilling chemicals, Saving the Grand Canyon, and Fighting for safer tap water. EWG motives, viewpoints, and organizational features make them successful in the public policy arena. This Environmental Working Group is successful in the public policy arena. After researching just a couple of their accomplishments are in the public arena. References Z. Smith, 2009, The Environmental Policy Paradox, 5th Edition 1993, http://www. ewg. org/

Civic Speech Outline – Teachers

He told his Peasant Princess that she would want for nothing. Well this was new. â€Å"If I want for nothing, then what want do I want? ‘ She thought long and hard about what she could do with her life. The Peasant Princess finally had an opportunity for a proper education. She loved children, and she spent all of her free time creating art projects. Why not combine all the things she loves? Education, Kids, Arts†¦ Do you see where this is going? As an elementary art teacher, she could spend every day doing all the things she loves. And they lived happily ever after!Well yes they did however this Isn't the end of our story. Soon thereafter, Prince Charming ‘s kingdom was overthrown by an evil king named Private Equity Firm. Private Equity took over the kingdom and stripped the Prince of his throne. Once again, the Prince and Princess were struggling peasants. No longer could she invest her time and limited resources in a future career that would pay no return beyond the humble reward of tiny smiles. Goal/Purpose My civic engagement, or calling, was to be an elementary teacher. Today, we will explore the passion many people share to be a teacher.We'll discuss the many benefits and rewards of the position. Then we will question, if it's so great why are so many teachers leaving the profession, within years of obtaining their degree, or In my case, even before then. In another lifetime, or should I say In a land far far away, this was my dream. L. Why? For me? A. . It wasn't the money, my prince provided well. Negative experience as early as Kindergarten. Ensure that didn't happen to others. Iii. V. This was my natural calling. Who I am. How I act. I wanted to make a difference and feel proud. B. For others? According to UNC (Univac of North Carolina, not Colorado) 9 Reasons to be a Teacher Experience the Joy of Making a Difference Have a Vocation, Not a Job 2. Enjoy Interpersonal Interaction 3. Benefit From Variety 4. Laugh Every Day 6. Have a H igh Level of Autonomy 7. Spend More Time With Your Family 8. Enjoy Lots of Vacation 9. . Summarized . Rewarding I'. Fun Summers off ‘v. Vocation II. How many are leaving? The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future estimates one-third of all new teachers leave after three years, almost half after five years! B.Statistics show 40% of students who pursue undergraduate degrees NEVER enter the classroom. I. Take other Jobs instead. Ill. Why? A. You heard my reason. I. Money can't buy happiness? Neither can poverty. It. Ranked #2 of the 30 worst paying college majors. Iii. #22 on a list of lowest paying Jobs that require a bachelors degree lb. Salary the US $35,000. 1. 40 hours = roughly $17 [hour. 2. +30 hours/week grading and planning = $10 b. Other reasons from teachers who left the profession: Starting I. â€Å"One of the big reason I quit was intangible, but very real. It's Just a lack of respect. † ii. Teachers in schools don't get to call the shots. I no longer have control ever how I teach my class† iii. â€Å"Lack of respect from parents who feel â€Å"my taxes pay your wages, so you work for me lb. From older male teachers â€Å"l eventually felt pressured to advance into higher-level administration. † v. â€Å"There is an overwhelming amount of after-hours work that cannot make up for the free summers† c. Neighbor I. Kindergarten teacher-two boys-heading to Jar high. It. Spends more on supplies and decorations for her classroom each year, than she earns. Ill. Once her children no longer attend this school, she plans on leaving as well.Conclusion Today, I shared with you my lost civic engagement to be an elementary school teacher. My children are no longer in grade school; in fact they are now in college themselves. My educational path will eventually bring me too point where I can teach at the college level and by then my grandsons will be attending college themselves. I honestly don't know what I would adv ise if they chose to be elementary teachers. In case you didn't catch it. I am the princess, although we have never quite been poor peasants. My husband was, is, and always will be my prince charming. And yes, we live happily ever after! Class Dismissed!

Catholic Saint Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Catholic Saint - Term Paper Example As a result, the extensive Church identifies many saints in its history of existence as people of great influence and who exhibited the character of God in their lifetime. Sainthood denotes holiness where a saint is perceived as an individual of extreme holiness in accordance to the teachings of Jesus in the bible. Incidentally, the original version of a saint was a person who exemplified the true gospel of Jesus Christ in accordance to the holy bible. However, the expression changed when it was narrowly applied to refer to those who manifested gallant and virtuous lives and who were adored after their demise. The Catholic Church has a distinct process of recognizing saints. A large number of saints have to undergo canonization prior to their sainthood though some people become saints through acclamation. In both instances, one must be dead and evidence of miracles, and moral living should exist. It is not easy to become a saint in modern day culture because of the corrupted nature o f society making it difficult for holy and virtuous living. The Roman Catholic Church is perceived by its followers as a church established to foster Christ’s teachings and promote holiness here on earth. ... The aspect of saints and processes of declaring saints is noted in ‘the principles of catholic dogma’, which is a book that prescribes the fundamentals of the church. Saints are often declared after their deaths, and there is a distinct process that has to be strictly followed before one is announced as being a saint. One distinct aspect of sainthood is veneration. Procedures of crowing people as saints have undergone a number of alterations, but the essence of the practice has remained the same. Though it was reserved for public approval, the course of declaring saints changed to aspects of public and church participation that proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the person in question was of great faith, extraordinary attributes, and most importantly exemplified holiness. Catholics express much faith in the institution of sainthood and are most inclined to venerate saints once the church confirmed that they deserved worship. Some controversies have prevailed over th e entire aspect of sainthood especially the aspect of describing human beings as holy. Some quarters have argued that human beings cannot be holy terming the attribute as the preserve of God. Similarly, the aspect of veneration of saints has been opposed by some sections of the society as blasphemy and expressed worship as only reserved to God. In all these the Catholic Church still practices sainthood, which is a firm pillar of the church. Sainthood has been an essential of the Catholic Church since the days of yore, and the practice has prevailed over time though with several modifications of how the process of conferring sainthood is done. Sainthood is an epitome of holiness in the Catholic Church;

Presentations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Presentations - Essay Example Exercises induce flexibility in the body that can prevent from bone fracture. As we all know that animals are used in medical research purpose. Animals have right to live, we should treat animals softly. In point of view of many people it is a crime to use animals in research purpose, and it is an immoral act to use animals for research. According to my point of view, I agree animals have right to live and we should not treat them rudely, but human beings are superior and for prevention of diseases use of animals in for research is not a crime. Research is necessary for the progress in medical field and invention of new treatments of different diseases. These researches are not used for the service of mankind, but also for the cure and treatment of animals. Animals should use in the medical research studies, but kindly. The animal should not treat cruelly and try to use the minimum number of animals. Without need not harm them and keep them carefully (Smith & Boyd,

Web design proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web design proposal - Essay Example This should also make the website easier to navigate. As Phebra were previously known as PharmaLab, it could also be considered as a â€Å"rebranding† promotion. The look and feel of new website is important, from the perspective of customer branding and effective marketing. Another reason for Phebra to renew their website is that they are considering putting more section and more content into the WebPages. Phebra want to add ‘Manufacturing’, ‘Medical Information’, and ‘People’ section, together with the four main sections on the current website. This will help Phebra to provide much more details to its clients that will be an advantage, as it will create believe and trust for Phebra from its clients. Another feature for Phebra new website will be the intranet search engine. Phebra clients will simply use keywords to find out the product they are looking for and will gather related information about product. Additionally, adding Content Management System (CMS) to the website will be important as it will facilitate Phebra to update there company information and upload new product or take out the old product. CMS will help Phebra to maintain their website and provide latest information more efficiently. Furthermore, Phebra wants to provide online account to clients so that they can order and view their purchase history. This will also help Phebra to study their clients need and come out with new solutions. The current design is based on blue and white colour scheme. The main focus of the front page is the pull down menu which list out the details of the products of the company. The website is simplistic on the front page; in the main sections include the business, products, ordering information and a contacts page. The main theme on the index page is titled â€Å"life-enhancing medicines† which is quite effective. The news section on the

Altria Group Inc. (MO) and Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) Essay

Altria Group Inc. (MO) and Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) - Essay Example Over the years, the company has introduced different product lines with different brand names in order to attract different types of customers. This aspect has played a significant role in reducing the risks and uncertainties associated with concentrating on a single product. Beside tobacco it has focused on wine production. Some of the wine brands include; Chateau Ste Michelle, Snoqualmie, Erath. The company has a definite structure led by the board of directors. In addition, the company is divided into different departments depending on the area of specialization. This is to ensure that each sector specializes on a specific task. For instance, marketing and financial sectors operate differently. This has enabled the subordinates to work independently and maximize on their areas of specialization. This aspect has been critical in the overall success of the company. Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) is a global multinational firms based in United States that deal with cigarette and tobacco production. The company’s products are sold in over 200 countries across the world. The company is mainly known for its best selling product of Malboro (Luo 352). With over 15% of its products being sold outside the United States, the firm has been able to penetrate and segment the global market. This is despite the increasing levels of competition which has emanated from the entry of multinational companies which have a huge financial base to position their products strategically in the market and create a barrier of entry for other interested investors. Before, 2008, Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) was an operating company under the Altria Group. The idea behind the formation of the company was to provide the firm with an opportunity to pursue the emerging markets. This was aimed at increasing sales and revenues of the firm and enabling the company to avoid the challenges faced by companies in relation to US corporate ownership. The firm’s

Why Foreign Investors Need to Look at Political Risks in India Essay

Why Foreign Investors Need to Look at Political Risks in India - Essay Example Some of the emerging markets that have captured the attention of intellectuals around the world are China, India, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey. Among the above list, China and India are the markets with the greatest potential. These are the markets where companies enter for quick return on investments. â€Å"Even though emerging markets generally do not have the level of market efficiency and strict standards in accounting and securities regulation like advanced economies -- such as the United States, Europe and Japan -- they are most sought after by investors for the prospect of high returns, as they often experience faster economic growth as measured by GDP.† (Rediff Business, 2011) China’s economy is the fastest growing economy in the world at present. Similarly, India’s growth rate is expected to surpass even that of Japan. Studies by various organisations show that the emerging market economies are set to overtake all the G7 economies by 2020 . Such studies do have enough reasons to substantiate their views. This essay will deal with the strategic expansion of IKEA with its Greenfield operations in India. India had recently opened up its market for 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sector. IKEA did not waste even a day after the decision, the company has started framing board room strategies for the Indian market. Company IKEA is undoubtedly the world’s largest furniture retailer. Though furniture is its flagship product, it is also one of the largest home furnishing retailers in the world. The Company which was established in 1943 is headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands. What make IKEA different from the competitors are its modern and unique furniture designs. Moreover, IKEA designs are also eco-friendly compared to the competitors. When it comes to managerial efficiency and vision, IKEA is a benchmark for any businesses. The company gives extreme focus to cost control and product development bec ause of which they are able conquer new markets without much effort. Cost control gives them an edge over the pricing. The continuous product development helps them to keep pace with the changing trends. IKEA has been on a continuous growth path ever since its inception. The story is no different in 2012 too. â€Å"Net profit at the privately-held Swedish firm, known the world over for low-price, self-assembly, flat-packed furniture, rose 10.3 percent to 2.97 billion euros ($3.8 billion) in the year to last August.† (Reuters, 2012) Russia, China and Poland were the countries that contributed more to the overall sales of the company. This huge increase in profit is despite of the hike in raw material prices. Even at a very high raw material cost the company did not pass it on to the customers. It continued supplying products at lower prices as it used to be. The company is planning for about 3 billion euros of investments worldwide in the coming years. IKEA has constituted its product portfolio in such a way that even during a slump in demand due to economic problems, there are products that are focussed on the cost conscious customers. Because of this, IKEA is able to maintain sales and market share even during a slump in the economy. IKEA is now focussed on its strategy for the emerging markets such as China, India and Russia. Investment Unlike many other companies, IKEA wants their business units to be under their sole ownership. They are not ready for partnering with a domestic player which is why they backed out from Indian market entry years before (India permitted only 51% FDI in retail then). They enter the market with a careful study and examination of the market from