Why Did a Stalemate Develop on the Western Front free essay sample

Why did a stalemate develop on the Western Front? Stalemate during war is when no action can be taken or progress made. The Stalemate on the Western front, a line of trenches stretching from the Swiss Alps all the way across France to Nieuwpoort in Belgium, was a dilemma that was not foreseen by either the allies or Germany. Originally it had been predicted that the war would be over after a quick and decisive battle, this perception was quickly diminished once the war had begun. No one reason explains why the situation on the western front developed into a stalemate but many factors can be considered. The developments in weaponry have been said to have contributed to the Stalemate. In the early twentieth century many new and effective weapons were being developed. Long range heavy artillery had been proved much more effective than the mounted rifle wielding soldiers of previous centuries. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Did a Stalemate Develop on the Western Front? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The allies and Germany were both caught up in this weaponry boom. This â€Å"race† for new technology led to the two sides being approximately evenly matched, because of this neither side could make much head way. Also, the Generals in charge of the troops were mostly aged officers whose knowledge of modern weapons was limited. The fast moving nature of modern warfare had taken them by and led to rather outdated methods being used. So even though new weapons were evadible if they were not used effectively they were useless. The problem with advanced warfare and having similar types of weapons was that it was really machine against machine thus getting an upper hand was virtually impossible. Problems in communications also contributed towards the stalemate because the connections between the front line, the artillery and the Commanders were very poor. Most of the Generals were stationed several miles away from the front line, due to this they could not get a clear idea of what was going on amongst the troops. This delay and confusion on the battlefield made it hard to get an objective perspective on the battle. Sometimes the different nationalities such as the French and British found it hard communicating with one another this made it difficult to co-ordinate and pass on orders. As a result of all this the messages taken from the commanders to the front line were often out of date by the time they reached the trenches. The failure of the Schlieffen plan played one of the most important roles in bringing about the stalemate on the western front. Firstly, Russian forces had mobilised much faster than previously supposed they would, this miscalculation meant that Germany had to redeploy troops to the eastern front when they still needed the force to defeat France. Due to this Germanys forces were stretched and did not have the man power to break the French lines, all they could do to stop themselves from being pushed back through the Franco-German border was entrench. This resulted in the two forces entering a state of static warfare, fighting in this way makes it virtually impossible to gain any land. Secondly, the Germany army was slowed down by Belgium. The Germans had assumed that the Belgians would not put up a fight because their country was neutral. This was not the case as Belgium decided to fight, poorly equipped as they were. This did not stop the Germans but it did give the French troops time to prepare, thus losing the German troops the element of surprise. Lastly, because the German troops had advanced so fast through Belgium their supply trains had found it hard to keep up with the troops this resulted in them being under equipped and poorly prepared. The outcome of the battle of the Marne was one of the most important causes of the stalemate. As the French effort to attack across the border failed they resorted to a retreat to defend Paris. As a result of this the German forces were obliged to quit their arcing motion to meet the French at the river Marne. The relatively well equipped French were fighting on their own land and the Germans, as explained above were poorly prepared and had a severe shortage of men. When a gap was spotted between the German Second and First Armies by reconnaissance planes the French and British forces took advantage of the situation by launching a night time attack which served to separate the two armies even further. When it looked like the Germany would be almost entirely encircled and destroyed, they retreated, pursued by the French and British, to just north of the river Aisne where they built trenches that were to last for several years. This act effectively destroyed the Schlieffen plan and ended the so called war of movement. After the First Battle of the Marne, both Allied and German forces began a series of outflanking manoeuvres to try to get behind the enemy. As each manoeuvre was blocked they moved further through France and eventually reached the coast. This later became known as the â€Å"Race to the sea†. As neither force could break the others lines the offensive came to a relative standstill. This would remain so for approximately the next four years. This lack of progress obviously played a major part in the route to the development of a stalemate on the western front. I have come to realise that there is no single cause behind the Stalemate that began in 1914 on the Western Front but many which all contributed to the eventual outcome. The long term effects of the failure of the Schlieffen plan however lead me to believe that this is the most important reason the stalemate developed as it did. Bibliography History in Focus, GCSE Modern World History (second edition)

The Main Arguments for and Against Hunting

The Main Arguments for and Against Hunting Legitimate arguments abound for and against hunting for the control of the population of deer and other â€Å"nuisance† wildlife; or for sustenance for people who kill animals so they can eat them. For many people, the issue is complex, particularly for those who are (and intend to remain) meat eaters. After reading the arguments pro and con, you may find yourself leaning strongly to one side–or you may find that youre still on the fence. What Is Meant By Hunting? Most people who argue in favor of hunting are not arguing in favor of trophy hunting, the practice of killing an animal simply to show off its head and pelt. Trophy hunting is, in fact, abhorred by the majority of the public. Often, the animal being hunted is a rare or endangered animal, but even trophy hunting for wolves, moose,  and  bears  is unpalatable to many people.   The killing of wild animals for food is a different story. Though it was, at one time, a way of life so people could survive, today, hunting is a controversial issue because it is frequently regarded as a recreational activity. Many people are concerned about safety issues, and society’s attitudes towards animals are changing. Some hunters oppose certain practices they consider unethical, such as baiting, canned hunting (in fenced areas), and hunting of stocked animals. At the heart of the non-trophy hunting debate in the United States is one  species: white-tailed deer. In many areas in the U.S., white-tailed deer flourish because of the lack of natural predators and the abundance of deer-friendly habitat. As pockets of green space shrink and disappear in our suburbs, the species has become the center of the debate over hunting, and many who consider themselves neither hunters nor  animal activists  find themselves drawn into the debate. The debate centers on practical and ethical issues including deer management, human/deer conflicts, non-lethal solutions, and safety. Arguments in Favor of Hunting Hunting proponents argue that hunting is safe, effective, necessary, and inexpensive to taxpayers.The injury rate for hunting is lower than that of some other forms of physical recreation, such as football and bicycling.Proponents argue that hunting is an effective form of deer management because it will remove a number of individual deer from a population and prevent those individuals from reproducing.Since natural deer predators have been eliminated in many areas, hunters argue that hunting is necessary to perform the function of wolves or cougars in keeping the deer population in check.Hunting proponents also argue that reducing the deer population will reduce human/deer conflicts, such as car/deer collisions,  Lyme disease, and landscaping damage.Compared to sharpshooters and immunocontraception, hunting is inexpensive to taxpayers because hunters will kill the deer for free. Also, hunting permits are sold by state wildlife management agencies, which are partially or fully supp orted by the sales of permits. Hunters argue that killing the deer is better than letting them starve to death.Hunters argue that hunting is a tradition, a ritual or a bonding experience.Regarding ethics, hunting proponents argue that killing a deer for food cannot be worse than killing a cow or a chicken. Furthermore, unlike the cow or the chicken, the deer lived a free and wild life before being killed and had a chance to escape.Hunters also argue that killing a number of deer benefits the ecosystem as a whole. Arguments Against Hunting Hunting opponents argue that hunting is unsafe, ineffective, unnecessary, and unfair to taxpayers.Opponents point out that compared to other forms of recreation, hunting injuries are far more likely to be fatalities. Approximately 100 people die in  hunting accidents  in the US every year, and unlike other forms of recreation, hunting endangers the entire community and not just the willing participants.Opponents also argue that hunting is ineffective for solving human/deer conflicts. Studies show that car/deer collisions increase during hunting season because hunters frighten the deer out of the woods and onto roads.Contrary to popular belief, hunting  does not address Lyme disease  because the ticks are usually spread to grassy areas where humans find them by mice, not deer. In fact, hunters who dress deer or squirrels have a higher risk of tick bites.And as long as suburban landscaping includes deer-preferred plants such as tulips and rhododendrons, that landscaping will at tract hungry deer, no matter  how many deer  there are. It may also be the case that hunting to reduce the number of deer is less effective than contraception. Hunting is ineffective because state wildlife management agencies intentionally keep the deer population high, for hunters.Lands managed for hunting are sometimes purchased and maintained with tax dollars, even though 95% of Americans do not hunt.Hunters out for trophies, such as elk and deer with large racks, are killing the strongest and healthiest of the species, not the weak and starving they claim to be putting out of their misery. Killing the stronger members of the species leaves a permanent consequence for the species as a whole. Resolution The hunting debate may never be resolved. The two sides will continue to debate safety, effectiveness, and cost, but will probably never agree on the ethics of killing wild animals for food or recreation.

The Woman Who Explained the Sun and Stars

The Woman Who Explained the Sun and Stars Today, ask any astronomer what the Sun and other stars are made of, and youll be told, Hydrogen and helium and trace amounts of other elements. We know this through a study of sunlight, using a technique called spectroscopy. Essentially, it dissects sunlight into its component wavelengths called a spectrum. Specific characteristics in the spectrum tell astronomers what elements exist in the Suns atmosphere. We see hydrogen, helium, silicon, plus carbon, and other common metals in stars and nebulae throughout the universe.  We have this knowledge thanks to the pioneering work done by Dr. Cecelia Payne-Gaposchkin throughout her career.   The Woman Who Explained the Sun and Stars In 1925, astronomy student Cecelia Payne turned in her doctoral thesis on the topic of stellar atmospheres. One of her most important findings was that the Sun is very rich in hydrogen and helium, more so than astronomers thought. Based on that, she concluded that hydrogen is THE major constituent of all stars, making hydrogen the most abundant element in the universe. It makes sense, since the Sun and other stars fuse hydrogen in their cores to create heavier elements. As they age, stars also fuse those heavier elements to make more complex ones. This process of stellar nucleosynthesis is what populates the universe with many of the elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. Its also an important part of the evolution of stars, which Cecelia sought to understand. The idea that stars are made mostly of hydrogen seems like a very obvious thing to astronomers today, but for its time, Dr. Paynes idea was startling. One of her advisors - Henry Norris Russell - disagreed with it and demanded she take it out of her thesis defense. Later, he decided it was a great idea, published it on his own, and got the credit for the discovery. She continued to work at Harvard, but for time, because she was a woman, she received very low pay and the classes she taught werent even recognized in the course catalogs at the time.   In recent decades, the credit for her discovery and subsequent work has been restored to Dr. Payne-Gaposchkin. She is also credited with establishing that stars can be classified by their temperatures, and published more than 150 papers on stellar atmospheres, stellar spectra. She also worked with her husband, Serge I. Gaposchkin, on variable stars. She published five books, and won a number of awards. She spent her entire research career at Harvard College Observatory, eventually becoming the first woman to chair a department at Harvard. Despite successes that would have gained male astronomers at the time incredible praise and honors, she faced gender discrimination throughout much of her life. Nonetheless, she is now celebrated as a brilliant and original thinker for her contributions that changed our understanding of how stars work.   As one of the first of a group of female astronomers at Harvard, Cecelia Payne-Gaposchkin blazed a trail for women in astronomy that many cite as their own inspiration to study the stars. In 2000, a special centenary celebration of her life and science at Harvard drew astronomers from around the world to discuss her life and findings and how they changed the face of astronomy. Largely due to her work and example, as well as the example of women who were inspired by her courage and intellect, the role of women in astronomy is slowly improving, as more select it as a profession.   A Portrait of the Scientist Throughout her Life Dr. Payne-Gaposchkin was born as Cecelia Helena Payne in England on May 10, 1900. She got interested in astronomy after hearing Sir Arthur Eddington describe his experiences on an eclipse expedition in 1919. She then studied astronomy, but because she was female, she was refused a degree from Cambridge. She left England for the United States, where she studied astronomy and got her PhD from Radcliffe College (which is now a part of Harvard University).   After she received her doctorate, Dr. Payne went on to study a number of different types of stars, particularly the very brightest high luminosity stars.  Her main interest was to understand the stellar structure of the Milky Way, and she ultimately studied variable stars in our galaxy and the nearby Magellanic Clouds. Her data played a large role in determining the ways that stars are born, live, and die.   Cecelia Payne married fellow astronomer Serge Gaposchkin in 1934 and they worked together on variable stars and other targets throughout their lives. They had three children. Dr. Payne-Gaposchkin continued teaching at Harvard until 1966, and continued her research into stars with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (headquartered at Harvards Center for Astrophysics. She died in 1979.

Why is liberal art important and necessary Research Paper

Why is liberal art important and necessary - Research Paper Example The liberal arts subjects are drawn from the major branches of the liberal arts. These include the social sciences which cover such subjects as sociology, geography, economics, political science, and anthropology. Another branch of the liberal arts is known as the humanities which cover literature, languages, history, and philosophy. The third branch is the creative arts – theater, fine art, creative writing and others. All these broad subjects are what are known as the liberal arts and they are, as you can see, quite wide and varied. They are usually available to students at an undergraduate level right at the beginning and at more advanced levels as we move up the higher education chain (Sigurdson 14). Why do I think these subjects are important? Liberal arts are not designed to equip you or enable you to specialize in a specific profession. Rather, they are there to prepare the students for life in the working world. Liberal arts equip you with the ability, first and foremo st, to have lifelong learning. Learning does not just end in the classroom or after graduation. It is a process through which we acquire knowledge skills and expertise throughout our life. It is, therefore, necessary for one to have courses that equip you to do exactly that – essentially be a student for life, learning and adapting to new knowledge, new aspects of life and learning how to adapt, live and even thrive with change. The liberal arts also give one the ability and capacity for free thinking. It teaches the student how to think, how to question and how to expand your horizons. The liberal arts also enable one to communicate effectively. It is not just a matter of learning how to speak a foreign language or two – though that is also covered in liberal arts – but how to interpret nonverbal communications, how to communicate in cultures other than your own, and how to express yourself in contexts that are different from your traditional ones (Sigurdson 18 ). The liberal arts give students a chance to not only explore and get their head round a large variety of subjects but also an ability to look at the world, themselves and others in a totally new light. It gives students an appreciation of different points of view and different modes of thought. It is an opportunity to learn about the evolution of human society, how it started out, how it came through civilization, what civilization is all about and what in the world has changed and how it has changed since this civilization came about. In liberal arts one learns what previous generations have learned, thought and experienced. What questions did they ask? What answers did the great philosophers seek? Liberal arts give you an opportunity to wrestle with abstract concepts and ideas. There arose questions such as: What is beauty and how does one decide that something is beautiful and the other one is not? Does this colour or make-up look good on me? How did our history shape us and ou r thinking? How did we interact with the environment and what impact has it had on us and us about it? What acts constitute sexual harassment in the workplace and why and how should they be reported? Thus, liberal arts result in a person who has a more rounded appreciation of himself, others and his environment. A classic story is told to explain the importance of the liberal arts.Three blind men who were told to touch an elephant and then describe what it looked like. The first one touched the elephant’s main body and decided because it was so big, this creature must be like a wall. The second blind man touched the elephant’s tusk and after racing it all the way to the tip, decided that the elephant must be shaped like a

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership - Essay Example The Executive Maturity model is based on the idea that the leader should be able to respond effectively to the needs of others under pressure (Trathen 2007). The above model incorporates two key phases: in the first phase, the leader needs ‘to be aware of his own feelings, thoughts and values’ (Trathen 2007, p.71). In the second phase, the leader has ‘to manage the emotional needs of others’ (Trathen 2007, p.71), keeping a balance. On the other hand, Alexander (2008) notes that the key characteristic of a successful leader would be his ability to ‘handle crises and mitigate effects’ (Alexander 2008, p.34). Cooper (2010) notes that the identification of a leader’s competencies is necessary before trying to improve the leader’s effectiveness. After reviewing my leadership strengths and weaknesses, as presented in the previous section, I would come to the following conclusion: I should emphasize more on decreasing the time I need for managing complex tasks, so that I would become more efficient in a range of projects; I should continue focusing on details but I would try to limit the time spent on issues of secondary importance. The Executive Maturity model would help me to change my leadership style, setting appropriate priorities and increasing collaboration. Question 2 Are leaders born or made? Each leader has unique characteristics, even if the particular fact is not clear. Indeed, the leadership style is closely related to the personality of each individual and from this point of view it would be quite difficult to identify two leaders that would respond exactly the same to a series of critical events. Yuki (1988) have noted that ‘leadership effectiveness varies across situations’ (Yuki 1988, cited in... The researcher of this essay discusses the topic of leadership that today is a concept that can incorporate a high range of characteristics. Observing several responses to various challenges, the researcher could identify the strengths and weaknesses of several leaders. Referring to his own leadership strengths and weaknesses, the researcher would highlight the following issues: "I am committed to my studies, trying to respond to all the demands of my position. I have always tried to examine thoroughly the requirements of every task assigned to me, focusing on details. In case of mistakes or failures I’ve been able to respond immediately, suggesting appropriate plans of action. On the other hand, I have often failed in identifying early the risks related to a particular task.". Then , the researcher states that The Executive Maturity model would help him to change his leadership style, setting appropriate priorities and increasing collaboration. On the discussion of the second question "Are leaders born or made?", the researcher states that from his point of view, leadership is both inherited and learned, a view aligned with the view of Larkin. Then, the researcher discusses the differences between leadership & management. In summary, it could be stated that leadership focuses on establishing and promoting the practices that will enhance the performance of organization. Management aims to ensure that employees will follow the guidelines of the leader so that the targets set are achieved.

Smoke-laden Essay Example for Free

Smoke-laden Essay We read the following Sherlock Holmes stories; The adventure of the veiled lodger, The speckled band, The red headed league, The crooked man and The silver blaze. In detail I studied The adventure of the veiled lodger, The speckled band and The silver blaze. In terms of narrative of the characters, the use of language, Structure and the authors view point and then compared them. In The veiled lodger Holmes is passed on a message by a landlord, from a tenant. It said do you wish to find out what really happened to Mr. Render. When Holmes and Watson got to the house they find out that the tenant was Mrs. Render. They also found out that Mr. Render did not die the way they originally thought, which was being attacked by a lion, but it was a murder carried out by Mrs. Render and her lover called Leonardo. They did this because of the way that Mr. Render treated Mrs. Render, he would abuse her when she commented on how he had other women. They made the murder look like it was a lion from the circus attacking him, by using a club with nails attached, to look like claws but the plan went wrong. They managed to attack Mr. Render but when Mrs. Render opened the loins cage to let the lion loose from the cage the smell of blood had sent it wild and it turned on Mrs. Render. The Speckled Band is about a family of two sisters and their step father. The mother had died and left a sum of money in the step fathers possession to keep the whole family going. When the daughters gets married some of the money was to go to them, so that the money in the end will be split three ways between them. When one daughter does get engaged she starts to notice strange occurrences, like a low whistle early in the morning about three am which is not normal. She then dies in mysterious circumstances and the case was never solved. When the second of the daughters got engaged she had to move into her sisters old room as her room was supposedly being decorated, she too started to hear a low whistle early in the morning. She then comes and finds Holmes and explains her situation she asks him to investigate what is happening. Holmes looks at all the evidence and clues only to discovers that the step father is planting a deadly snake in their bed each night and then calls it back after so long using a whistle and milk. The plan was that the snake would bite the daughters and then he could call the snake back before someone could see it. In The silver blaze Holmes is called to investigate the murder of a man and the where abouts of a lost racing horse. When Holmes gets to the site he notices something even before he has left the carriage, he stays sat down quiet for a moment and when he gets up he doesnt say what it was he noticed, which was that some of the sheep seemed to be lame. When the case is closed he then reveals what he found and how he got his conclusion. What actually happened was the victim had drugged the stable boy and taken the horse out in to the moors, where he attempted to take a nick out of a bone of the horse so that would be paralysed . It would therefore lose its next race. He did this because he had a bet on another horse to win. But the plan went wrong when he started to cut the horse, as it kicked him in the head killing him. The horse had wondered off and had been found by the rival horse trainer and then hidden. In these three short stories there are some big similarities, they all contain a murder they are either at the start of the story, end or both. The plots begin very close to the start of the stories this makes the readers intrigued sooner and therefore continue to read the stories. The odd murder is in The veiled lodger where the story is been told as past not present like The Speckled Band and The silver blaze. There are more similarities in The Speckled Band and The silver blaze because of this. For instance both the stories were solved by Holmes instead of Holmes been told the story, this could have a negative effect upon the reader because it is harder for them to become involved in the story as they already know the outcome. The characters in The veiled lodger and The Speckled Band have similarities between them, for example Helen and Mrs. Render both have a dominant male in there lifes who they fear. Helen goes behind Dr. Royllots back to see Holmes and does not confront Dr. Royllot. Mrs. Render also describes Mr. Render as being the devil. But there are still some similarities with The silver blaze, for example the victims wife in The silver blaze and Mrs. Render in The veiled lodger both have men which dont stay faithful to them. In The veiled lodger Mrs. Render is a middle aged widow, she got married young to the circus manager and found out too late it was a wrong decision because he physically abused her. This drove Mrs. Render to her limits and she planned his murder. She did this with Leonardo a lover of hers he was the strong man in the circus. He came up with the killing method but when the plan did go wrong he ran from the scene. When the other people heard Mrs. Render they came to help and Leonardo came to. This shows what judge of character Mrs. Render has, it is clear that she has a poor judge of character.

Go Kart History :: Racing Entertainment Essays

Go Kart History Do you ever hear the word â€Å"karting†? Many people still don’t know what karting is. They try to relate it to the cart; the basket to take your things from the market with the wheels on it. In this situation, kart means the miniature of car racing, especially Formula One (F-1) cars. And karting means racing of using a kart. Maybe if I say â€Å"go kart†, you will know what I am talking about. Actually â€Å"go kart† is a trademark of karting. It is the manufacturing company that originated karting in 1958. The history and accessories of karting are important in order to get started in karting. The history of the go kart is quite interesting. To begin with, there were two guys whose names were Duffy Livingstone and Roy Desbrow. They were partners in a muffler business in Monrovia, California. Both were experts in welding components. One time, they saw Art Ingle’s one off creation (model of the car). Then they were inspired to make their own versions. Duffy built a couple for their friends. And there was another guy whose name was Bill Rowles, a salesman of surplus materials in Los Angeles. He visited their muffler shop very often. He also got inexpensive engines from a failed West Bend rotary lawn mower venture. These three individuals formed a loose partnership to produce and sell kit components for go karts. One day, when they are relaxing in the small office at their muffler shop, the postman came by with many envelopes. These envelopes brought about thirty orders for that day. The demand became constant in the following days, so they thought that they needed to change their business. They formed a corporation for the company called Go Kart manufacturing and leased a five acre facility in Azusa from AeroJet General Corporation. This corporation had six stockholders. Duffy Livingstone, Roy Desbrow, and Bill Rowles were the primary stockholders. Other stockholders were Jim Patronite (the company’s accountant, who later formed Azusa Engineering), Don Boberick, and the company’s office manager. In 1962, Art Linkletter Enterprises wanted to buy the shares for $750,000. But Go Kart declined the offer because the proposal gave the Linkletter group management of Go Kart mfg and Go Kart didn’t trust the Linkletter group ability to manage the Go Kart mfg. However, in less than a year, Go Kart hired a very experienced, energetic and enthusiastic person to manage the sales.

The Main Arguments of Evolution Theory

International Management Prof. dr. Niels Noorderhaven Lecture 1 Agenda †¢ †¢ †¢ 1. 2. 3. Introduction and organizational matters Does â€Å"international† still matter? Conceptual foundations of international business strategy (1) †¢ †¢ Case: Honda in the USA Literature: Textbook chapter 1 (pp 13-33 + 59-62) Team Lectures Niels Noorderhaven Cases Fons Naus Ana Aranda Gutierrez Zhengyu Li Teaching strategy Complementarity of lectures – readings †¢ Individual case participation †¢ Each lecture, one or several cases from the book will be expanded to put the theory into practice †¢ Importance of research articles Grading †¢ 70% MC exam – See Study manual for correction formula †¢ Exam dates December 13, 2012 and April 12, 2013 †¢ 30% 2 Interactive lectures – individual participation †¢ Interactive lectures grades of 2010 and 2011 can be transferred Book †¢ http://www. cambridge. rg/features/manag ement/verbeke/ Does â€Å"international† still matter? 7 Transportation & communication costs fall 17 September 2012 8 Tariffs fall, anti-dumping measures rise anti- 17 September 2012 9 Globalization Theory: †¢ Linguistic, trade and cultural barriers become less important †¢ ‘Stateless’ MNCs †¢ Within MNCs worldwide diffusion of technologies, knowledge and information Convergence of world economies 17 September 2012 10 Why is nationality important to people? Individual identity and social identity †¢ Three processes of social identity formation: †¢ social categorization †¢ social comparison †¢ social identification †¢ (Self-)categorization: what is the salient category? 17 September 2012 11 Why is nationality important to people? †¢ Positive stereotyping of â€Å"in-group†, negative stereotyping of â€Å"out-group† †¢ Nationality differences are particularly salient when people have no common history †¢ Nationality then becomes a source for one’s own identity and for the ascribed identity of the other 7 September 2012 12 Does â€Å"international† still matter? Yes, because †¦. †¢ Cultural , institutional and language differences persist †¢ Leading to differences in (business) decision making †¢ Nationality forms an important basis for social categorization processes †¢ Leading to shortcuts like cultural attribution and stereotyping With the effect that doing business across borders is different than domestic business 13 Conceptual foundations of international business strategy 4 Definition of international business strategy International business strategy means effectively and efficiently matching a multinational enterprise’s (MNE’s) internal strengths (relative to competitors) with the opportunities and challenges found in geographically dispersed environments that cross international borders. Such matching is a precond ition to creating value and satisfying stakeholder goals, both domestically and internationally. 15 TABLE OF CONTENTS (1) Introduction and overview of the book’s framework †¢ Part one: Core concepts (1) Conceptual foundations of international business strategy (2) The critical role of firm-specific advantages (3) The nature of home country location advantages (4) The problem with host country location advantages (5) Combining firm-specific advantages and location advantages in an MNE network 16 TABLE OF CONTENTS (2) †¢ Part two: Functional issues (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) International innovation International sourcing and production International finance International marketing Managing managers in the multinational enterprise 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS (3) †¢ Part three: Dynamics of global strategy (11) Entry mode dynamics 1: foreign distributors (12) Entry mode dynamics 2: strategic alliance partners (13) Entry mode dynamics 3: mergers and acquisitions (14) The role of emerging economies (15a) International strategies of corporate social responsibility (15b) International strategies of environmental sustainability 18 The seven concepts of the unifying framework †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Internationally transferable (or non-location bound) firmspecific advantages (FSAs) Non-transferable (or location-bound) FSAs Location advantages Investment in – and value creation through – recombination Complementary resources of external actors Bounded rationality Bounded reliability The MNE’s unique resource base †¢ Physical resources (natural resources, buildings, plant equipment). †¢ Financial resources (equity and loan capital) †¢ Human resources (individuals and teams, entrepreneurial and operational skills). Upstream knowledge (sourcing knowledge, product and process-related technological knowledge). †¢ Downstream knowledge (marketing, sales, distribution and after sales service). †¢ Admin istrative knowledge (organizational structure, culture and systems). †¢ Reputational resources (brand names, reputation for honest business dealings). International transferability of FSAs? †¢ Paradox: If the FSA consists of easily codifiable knowledge (i. e. , if it can be articulated explicitly, as in a handbook or blueprint), then it can be cheaply transferred abroad, but it can also be easily imitated by other firms.Though expensive and time-consuming to transfer tacit knowledge across borders, the benefit to the MNE is that this knowledge is also difficult to imitate. It is often a key source of competitive advantage when doing business abroad. Some FSAs are not transferable abroad: location-bound locationFSAs (1) Four main types: †¢ Stand-alone resources linked to location advantages (privileged retail locations). †¢ Local marketing knowledge and reputational resources, such as brand names (may not be applicable to a host country context, or valued to the s ame extent). Local best practices (i. e. routines), such as incentive systems or buyer-supplier relations (may not work abroad). †¢ Domestic recombination capability (may not work in foreign markets – e. g. , because co-location of resources is needed). Some FSAs are not transferable abroad: location-bound locationFSAs (2) †¢ Even if transferability of the relevant resources were technically possible, this does not mean potential for profitable deployment, i. e. the resource bundles that may be transferable from a technical perspective (e. g. , the way n which a product is marketed at home), do not constitute an FSA abroad. Location advantages †¢ Entire set of strengths of a location, and accessible by firms in that location. †¢ Should always be assessed relative to the strengths of other locations. †¢ Instrumental to FSAs Motivations for foreign expansion †¢ Natural resource seeking – Verbeke: physical, financial or human resources †¢ Market seeking †¢ Strategic resource seeking – e. g. , knowledge, finance †¢ Efficiency seeking – E. g. , low labor cost Case: Honda in the USA Background Prior to 1970s exports of motorcycles and cars †¢ Drivers of foreign production: – Rising value of the yen against US$ – Fear of import restrictions – The Clean Air Act in the US – First oil crisis †¢ Motivation for expansion (natural resource, market, strategic resource, efficiency seeking? ) Honda’s approach †¢ After four-year decision process Honda of America Manufacturing established in Marysville, Ohio, in 1978 †¢ Top priority: attain Japanese-level quality and efficiency – – – – – Selection of employees Training program Fly in managers and workers from Japan Develop lean supplier network Upgrade supplier quality level 1980: start production of cars †¢ Present: 9 production plants in USA Honda’s FSAs †¢ Non-location bound FSAs: – – – – – – – Know-how four-strike engines with optimal power-to-weight ratio Management principles Quality systems Employee selection processes Training and knowledge transfer routines Manufacturing expertise Supplier management approach †¢ †¢ Location-bound FSAs in the host country: – High demand for specific products Resource recombination: – – – Use four-strike engines in many products (motorcycles, small cars, generators, †¦) Design and manufacturing skills + knowledge of consumer preferences in USA Melding existing and new resources through management exchange program Exploit new capabilities worldwide Complementary resources of external actors †¢ Opportunity to study American way of production at Ford †¢ Extensive use of American experts and consultants (especially for selecting location) †¢ Critical role of suppliers Bounded rationality issues lack of knowledge local conditions †¢ Suppliers’ lack of familiarity with Honda †¢ New employees lack of familiarity with â€Å"The Honda Way† Bounded reliability issues †¢ Moral hazard/adverse selection employees †¢ American managers have local priorities Deliberate strategy? Agenda for next lecture 1. 2. 3. 4. Four types of MNEs Recombination Bounded rationality & reliability Firm-specific advantages (FSAs) †¢ Cases: 3M & IKEA †¢ Literature: Textbook chapter 1 (pp 33-76) + chapter 2 NB: Class will be in SZ 31

Protest Poetry

Protest songs make serious comment on the issues of their time. Discuss with detailed reference to the issues and techniques in two songs studied in class and one of your own choosing. Protest songs are the product of their times. Composers utilise the medium to make meaningful comment on the issues of their era in an attempt to influence viewpoints and bring back change. ‘Dear Mr President’ by Pink criticises the presidency of George w bush and the issues he raised with his decisions. These issues were homosexual rights/ marriage, homelessness, poverty, war/ us. oles, women’s rights and the justice system. â€Å"Sunday bloody Sunday’ by U2 criticizes the unnecessary bloodshed that occurred as a result of the violence connected with the Irish troubles on Jan 30, 1972. ‘skyscraper’ by Demi Lovado criticizes the issues of bullying, body image, and self mutilation in today’s society. These songs all express opinions about issues of relevan ce to their societies for the future. These songs all express opinions about relevance to their societies, ultimately in an attempt to enforce a positive change to the world. In 2007 Pink released the song Dear Mr.President. The song is a direct criticism of President George W. Bush and the policies of his administration. Pink addresses the major concerns of most Americans. The most evident of these concerns are homosexual rights/ marriage, homelessness, women’s rights, war/US roles, poverty and the justice system. The song begins with â€Å"Come take a walk with me. Let’s pretend we’re just two people and you’re not better than me. † By stating this as an invitation Pink is directly asking the President to listen to her opinions utilising imperative verbs and a gentle tone.Pink is stating that she will be truthful and not sugar coat her opinions. She will tell him the truth about what everyone is thinking but no one is willing to tell him directly . metaphor is utilised to portray the ideas Pink has. The complete second and third stanzas are rhetorical questions addressing the issues the President has caused. The rhetorical questions are using emotive language to appeal to the listeners’ heart. The rhetorical questions are also using direct address to the President to show perspective of the issues and showing them so they relate to him.At the end of the third stanza when Pink asks â€Å"How do you walk with your head held high? Can you even look me in the eye and tell me why? † she uses negative connotations to show the pride or lack of pride he holds. The complete fifth stanza is using personal address by using examples of his own family and putting them in the places of the people affected by his choices, and rhetorical questions. â€Å"What kind of father would take his own daughter’s rights away? And what kind of father might hate is own daughter if she were gay? The rhetorical questions are address ing Bush’s personal life and relationship with his daughter by putting a negative aspect onto it by saying he would hate her if she were gay. The effect of this is to show how unfair the President is being to people and how he should change his ways. This song makes serious comment on the issues of the President’s actions and decisions. Sunday bloody Sunday focuses on the ongoing issues of conflict between protestants and the Catholics in northern island, which culminated in the loss of lives on a day known as bloody Sunday.The composer highlights the futility of the ongoing troubles and makes a call for change. A metaphor is utilised in the rhetorical question’ how ling must we sing this song? ’ to draw attention to the long period of time these troubles have been occurring. Direct address is employed in ‘we can be as one tonight’ in order to persuade people to put an end to the violence. Alliteration paired with evocative imagery reinforces the emotive impact of the message. ‘broken bottles under children’s feet/ bodies strewn across the dead end street. This is further demonstrated through a metaphor â€Å"the trench is dug within our hearts†, conveying the impact this is having on people’s emotions. The word choice ‘trench’ links the audience’s minds to war. The composer sends a powerful message by using a biblical allusion â€Å"the real battle has just begun/ to claim the victory Jesus won. † Calling on Christians to unite with a common purpose rather than engage in fighting. The issue of religious conflict is clearly an important one that holds relevance for contemporary society. In 2011 Demi Lovado released the song Skyscraper.Skyscraper focuses on the ongoing issue of bullying, self hate, and body image. The composer highlights the futility of the ongoing troubles and makes a call for change. The song begins with â€Å"Skies are crying, I am watching†¦ catching teardrops in my hands. Only silence has its ending like we never had a chance. Do you have to make me feel like there’s nothing left of me? † The tone of this is a soft, sad/ lonely whisper to show how vulnerable the composer is feeling, but slowly leads up to a louder stronger tone. Personification is employed which gives the effect of showing how she eels by using a large mass of to show the emotion the composer is feeling. A rhetorical question is used to show how she is feeling as though everything has been taken from her, making her feel worthless. In the chorus the metaphor â€Å"You can take everything I have, you can break everything I am† is used to show that things are changing for her but she is getting better and stronger to not care as much about the issues. â€Å"Like I’m made of glass, like I’m made of paper† uses repetition to portray the effect of feeling weak but knowing you’re much stronger.This is shown be cause the substances referred to are paper and glass which are very weak and easy to break. In the third stanza emotive language is used. â€Å"Would it make you feel better to watch me while I bleed? † This is relating to her issues of self harm and how it would make people feel to watch her do it. The emotive language reference is said in an angry tone with high volume. This is to show how fed up of feeling bad about herself she is. This song suggests that bullying and self image issues are clearly an important one that holds relevance for contemporary society.

Exterminate All the Brutes essays

Exterminate All the Brutes essays In the early 1800s, European nations played a minor role in Africa, controlling only areas along the coast. Areas which provided markets for trade and an opportunity to increase their economy were concentrated upon. Although there was little monetary value, Europe renewed its interest in Africa by the mid-1800s. Colonial claims were established while ignoring the claims of African ethnic groups, kingdoms, and city-states. Although many Africans resisted, many of these attempts failed. In his book Exterminate All the Brutes, Sven Lindqvist explains European imperialism as well as the brutality of the time. Europeans renewed interest in Africa, stemmed partly from a desire to create overseas empires. By controlling these lands, they had access to raw materials needed for their industrial economies. Markets were also opened up for the goods they produced. Sven Lindqvist agrees with this idea by summarizing Benjamin Kidd s Social Evolution, Driven by the inbuilt forces of his own civilization, the Anglo-Saxon goes to the foreign country to develop its natural resourcesand the consequences seem to be inescapable 138-9). The Europeans began to build plantations where they grew peanuts, cocoa, rubber, and palm oil. The discovery of minerals in Africa increased European interest in the continent. The Congo produced copper and tin, and South Africa produced gold and diamonds. Another factor was nationalism. It was often thought that a countrys greatness could be measured by the number of colonies it controlled. Europe had the power to control many territories; this power rested upon military superiority. A European specialty was the art of killing from a distance (46). Although Europe was poorly resourced in the sixteenth century, they produced ocean-going ships with guns capable of spreading death and destruction across huge distances. Three hundred years later, the gods o...

Blindness in Samson Agonistes

Blindness in Samson Agonistes In John Milton’s play Samson Agonistes, eyesight is a recurring motif and blindness used frequently as a metaphor to define the status of a character’s journey. Milton uses the presence or lack of clarity in vision, both physically and spiritually, to indicate characters’ direction. Although several characters experience blindness to differing degrees, Samson epitomizes the dynamic states and stages of blindness. All of these are necessary components of his pilgrimage of personal redemption, where his loss of physical eyesight becomes essential to mitigate the more serious condition of internal, spiritual blindness. Manoah’s paternal connection to his son hinders his ability to see that the blindness Samson must endure as a result of his failures is actually necessary to restore Samson’s inner eyes. Manoah attempts to convince Samson that his predicament can be reversed and that there is a way out: â€Å"But God who caus’d a fountain at thy prayer From the dry ground to spring, thy thirst to allay After the brunt of battel, can as easie Cause light again within thy eies to spring.† (581-84) Manoah’s eyes are indeed veiled from reality, for he is unable to analyze the situation apart from his disposition and concepts which persuade him to believe that Samson is, in fact, ascetical. Manoah has the full assurance that the retrieval and homeward return of his son would cause the present problems to dissipate. However, Samson realizes that his escaping will not assist him along his destined path and will not accomplish the purpose of his existence. Surely God did not intend for Samson to single-handedly liberate Israel, but as the tribe’s sole recipient of the divine instruction, Samson is regarded as the man who will free Israel and her people from captivity. The awe and wonder that his strength elicits became an obstruction in the eyes of the Hebrews and of their faith. It does not occur to them that perhaps they too, as a people, have a role in fulfilling God’s plan. Their eyes are so fixed on the idea that Samson will be their savior that in a sense their faith in God is lessened. Samson’s strength is a mere manifestation of God’s strengthening him from within; the Israelites, however, regard his gift of strength as his sole qualification for the mission’s assignment. By so doing, they deny any accountability themselves. The Israelites should have learned from Solomon’s mistakes after his fall and taken the initiative to fulfill the promise. Instead, like Samson, his people lose sight of their faith and its source. It becomes apparent that Samson has become an idol to his people, and they have lost God as their focus by fixing their collective sight upon Samson’s God-like figure, which his strength and pride afford. Therefore, Samson is not the only one who has lost sight of his calling, but the Hebrews have fallen to the point where they â€Å"love bondage more than liberty, / Bondage with ease than strenuous liberty† (270-1). Samson, as well as his people, initially fail to see that his strength lies not within the seven locks of unshaven hair, but that his hair is a mere symbol of his heritage and of his vow to God. A footnote in Numbers, explaining the significance of the Nazarite vow, says, â€Å"Not shaving the head signifies not rejecting but being absolutely subject to the headship of the Lord as well as to all deputy authorities appointed by God.† The Nazarite vow was not developed solely for Samson, but it was a voluntary time of consecration where the Israelites declared their separation unto God: â€Å"All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself from Jehovah; he shall let the locks on his head grow long.† (Numbers 6:5) This general custom proves that, contrary to the belief of Samson and Dalila, that his hair is not the source of his super natural strength. Samson’s â€Å"heav’n- gifted strength† (36) is accompanied by a mission whose accomplishment relies entirely on his faithfulness to the vow. Gradually Samson becomes distracted by the fame and admiration that his strength elicits. A purpose that initially originated from a divinely assigned mission slowly digresses into a self-glorifying talent which makes Samson â€Å"fearless of danger, like made a petty God, walk’d about admir’d of all† (529-30). Samson himself admits that he had reached a point where he was â€Å"swollen with pride† and fell â€Å"into the snare† (532). As this egotistical outlook begins to take precedence in Samson’s life, he simultaneously begins to lose sight of the goals in and purpose of his life, leaving him inwardly blind, prior to the dramatic gouging out of his eyes. During the first three temptations of Dalila, Samson’s faith still remains true as he maintains his loyalty and covenant with God, just as he sustains the portion of his vow which requires him to abstain from â€Å"all delicious drinks†¦ [to] repress† (541-43). However, upon Dalila’s fourth attempt to trick her husband, â€Å"this high gift of strength†¦how easily [bereaves] [him], / Under the seal of Silence could not keep, / But weakly to a woman [does] reveal it† (47-50). Once Samson recognizes his weakness, despite his outward strength, he begins the journey of ascent towards self- reconstruction, where Samson comes to realize how he came to be in such a predicament: â€Å"God sent her to debase me, And aggravate my folly who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secresie, my safety, and my life† (999-1002) Samson realizes too late that he was â€Å"impoten[t] of mind, in body strong!† (52). Before his upward journey, Samson is required to be completely broken, blinded and chained, â€Å"inferior to†¦ worm† (73-74). The man that was once admired and worshipped is now â€Å"dark in light expos’d / to daily fraud, contempt, abuse and wrong† (75-76), made powerless, in order for him to begin the long, dark journey into his self and back to his calling. Milton repeatedly utilizes the metaphor of blindness to take his characters on a progression from a point of darkness into light, to illustrate the growth and dynamic development of each character on their own, specific path to destiny. Milton’s entire tragedy depicts the treacherous journey of the hero whose â€Å"breeding [is] ordered and prescrib’d / As of a person separated to God† (30-31). In order for Samson’s purpose to be fulfilled and for God’s plan to be carried out, Samson’s physical strength has to be reduced to nothing. It is only possible in this moment of desperation following complete failure that the hero is able to prove his true strength, as he re-climbs from the heap of collapse. Not only does this journey entail the reconstruction of his strength, but Samson is forced to endure this journey in complete darkness in order to redefine his view of the world and to relinquish his confidence in his own ability, and to ultimatel y refine and strengthen his faith in God. The Hebrews, like Samson, are also in need of restoration of sight to see again who their God is. Their faith falters simultaneously with the breaking of Samson’s vow; not one of them takes any form of action in attempt to accomplish God’s plan. Their sole concern is the preservation of Samson’s sight and strength, for this is where their faith resides. Manoah also fails to see that the restoration of Samson’s sight is not of utmost importance, but that much more, his inward eyes would be reopened to realize his purpose, to see why God twice appeared to his parents to announce the importance of his birth. Samson is both weakened and inwardly blinded by his wife’s beauty and temptations, but it is not until his eyes are gouged out that he acknowledges that he has been â€Å"entangled with a poysnous bosom snake.† When Samson’s faith is lost, he is in â€Å"double darkness†, both outwardl y and inwardly blind. It is not until his final moments that his inward eyes are opened; he regains his lost faith, and truly realizes and accomplishes his purpose in his very last breath.

Hospitality Management internship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hospitality Management internship - Essay Example The following paragraphs state the pros and cons of the democratic management skill to this particular organization. This type of management skill will in one way or another lift the employee’s morale because they feel important and treasured in the development of the particular organization. The uplift of an employee’s morale3 will hence increase the output of the employee towards the increase of the particular organizations .on the other hand the consultation of the employees before making of any decisions will lead to the employer identifying miss ups in the organization. This will then lead the organization growing at very fast rate with minimal mistakes to bring down the organization. In other cases, this type if management may lead to the employees losing their trust on the management and decision making skills of the particular management. Sometimes the employees may want the management to make decisions for them. Through the democratic form in the organization, the culture of the organization is kept alive hence making the team building of the organization much easier. Due to the ongoing culture of the organization, the management is able to help the employees of the organization grow in skill in the particular posts posted in. Through the method the employees consult each other and correct their weaknesses together hence making the organization much stronger as a team. This will then make the cohesiveness of the employees much stronger hence facilitating the management and the running of the organization. Each employee is unique and has his or her own strength and weaknesses hence the employer is able to pick out the specific employees with the same strengths in the organization and put them together. This will be able to make the organization strong in every aspect because many of its members are4 working on the same part of the organization hence making of mistakes is pretty hard for the members working as one