Abraham Lincolns 1838 Springfield Lyceum Address

More than 25 years before Abraham Lincoln would deliver his legendary Gettysburg Address, the 28-year-old novice politician delivered a lecture before a gathering of young men and women in his newly adopted hometown of Springfield, Illinois. On January 27, 1838, a Saturday night in the middle of winter, Lincoln spoke on what sounds like a fairly generic topic, The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions. Yet Lincoln, a little-known lawyer serving as a state representative, indicated his ambition by delivering a substantial and timely  speech. Prompted by the murder of an abolitionist printer in Illinois two months earlier, Lincoln spoke about issues of great national importance, touching on slavery, mob violence, and the future of the nation itself. The speech, which has become known as the Lyceum Address, was published in a local newspaper within two weeks. It was Lincolns earliest published speech. The circumstances of its writing, delivery, and reception, provide a fascinating glimpse at how  Lincoln viewed the United States, and American politics, decades before he would lead the nation during the Civil War. Background of Abraham Lincolns Lyceum Address The American Lyceum Movement began when Josiah Holbrook, a teacher and amateur scientist, founded a volunteer educational organization in his town of Milbury, Massachusetts in 1826. Holbrooks idea caught on, and other towns in New England formed groups where local people could give lectures and debate ideas. By the mid-1830s more than 3,000 lyceums had been formed from New England to the South, and even as far west as Illinois. Josiah Holbrook traveled from Massachusetts to speak at the first lyceum organized in central Illinois, in the town of Jacksonville, in 1831. The organization which hosted Lincolns lecture in 1838, the Springfield Young Mens Lyceum, had probably been founded in 1835. It first held its meetings in a local schoolhouse, and by 1838 had moved its meeting place to a Baptist church. The lyceum meetings in Springfield were usually held on Saturday evenings. And while the membership comprised young men, females were invited to the meetings, which were intended to be both educational and social. The topic of Lincolns address, The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions, seems like a typical subject for a lyceum address. But a shocking event that occurred less than three months earlier, and only about 85 miles from Springfield, surely inspired Lincoln. The Murder of Elijah Lovejoy Elijah Lovejoy was a New England abolitionist who settled in St. Louis and began publishing a stridently anti-slavery newspaper in the mid-1830s. He was essentially chased out of town in the summer of 1837, and crossed the Mississippi River and set up shop in Alton, Illinois. Though Illinois was a free state, Lovejoy soon found himself under attack again. And on November 7, 1837, a pro-slavery mob raided a warehouse where Lovejoy had stored his printing press. The mob wanted to destroy the printing press, and during a small riot the building was set on fire and Elijah Lovejoy was shot five times. He died within an hour. Elijah Lovejoys murder shocked the entire nation. Stories about his murder at the hands of a mob appeared in major cities. An abolitionist meeting held in New York City in December 1837 to mourn for Lovejoy was reported in newspapers throughout the East. Abraham Lincolns neighbors in Springfield, only 85 miles away from the site of Lovejoys murder, certainly would have been shocked by the outburst of mob violence in their own state. Lincoln Discussed Mob Violence In His Speech It is perhaps no surprise that when Abraham Lincoln spoke to the Young Mens Lyceum of Springfield that winter he made mention of mob violence in America. What may seem surprising is that Lincoln did not refer directly to Lovejoy, instead mentioning acts of mob violence generally: Accounts of outrages committed by mobs form the every-day news of the times. They have pervaded the country from New England to Louisiana; they are neither peculiar to the eternal snows of the former nor the burning suns of the latter; they are not the creature of climate, neither are they confined to the slave-holding or the non-slave-holding states. Alike they spring up among the pleasure-hunting masters of Southern slaves, and the order-loving citizens of the land of steady habits. Whatever, then, their cause may be, it is common to the whole country. The likely reason Lincoln did not mention the mobs murder of Elijah Lovejoy is simply because there was no need to bring it up. Anyone listening to Lincoln that night was entirely aware of the incident. And Lincoln saw fit to place the shocking act in a broader, national, context. Lincoln Expressed His Thoughts on the Future of America After noting the menace, and very real threat, of mob rule, Lincoln began to talk of laws, and how it is the duty of citizens to obey the law, even if they believe the law is unjust. By doing that, Lincoln was keeping himself apart from abolitionists like Lovejoy, who openly advocated violating the laws pertaining to slavery. And Lincoln did make a point of emphatically stating: I do mean to say that although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still they continue in force, for the sake of example they should be religiously observed. Lincoln then turned his attention to what he believed would be a grave danger to America: a leader of great ambition who would attain power and corrupt the system. Lincoln expressed a fear that an Alexander, a Caesar, or a Napoleon would rise in America. In speaking about this hypothetical monstrous leader, essentially an American dictator, Lincoln wrote lines which would be quoted often by those analyzing the speech in future years: It thirsts and burns for distinction; and if possible, it will have it, whether at the expense of emancipating slaves or enslaving freemen. Is it unreasonable then, to expect that some man possessed of the loftiest genius, coupled with ambition sufficient to push it to its utmost stretch, will at some time spring up among us? It is remarkable, that Lincoln used the phrase emancipating slaves nearly 25 years before he would, from the White House, issue the Emancipation Proclamation. And some modern analysts have interpreted the Springfield Lyceum Address as Lincoln analyzing himself and what kind of leader he might be. What is apparent from the 1838 Lyceum Address is that Lincoln was ambitious. When given the opportunity to address a local group, he chose to comment on matters of national importance. And while the writing may not show the graceful and concise style he would later develop, it does demonstrate that he was a confident writer and speaker, even in his 20s. And it is noteworthy that some of the themes Lincoln spoke about, a few weeks before he turned 29, are the very same themes that would be discussed 20 years later, during the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debates that began his rise to national prominence.

Discrimination For Being A Felon - 956 Words

Discrimination for being a felon causes homelessness A problem I have noticed in my community is homelessness. A portion of the homeless is due to being unable to rent a house because of having a criminal history. According to the Pierce County Homeless Point-in-Time Report there were 1526 cases of homelessness reported in the county this does not count the induvial people it is measured by head of households. 73% of those cases reported that the head of house hold had a criminal history. That is a large amount of people, including whole families that are homeless over this matter. These people are living in shelters or with friends and family because they are unable to rent their own place. This is all because they have a criminal record, and now the record is being used to judge and discriminate against. One would think this would fall under the fair housing act. Sadly you couldn’t be more wrong in fact Robert Wise said â€Å"To give felons the protection of the Fair Housing Act protects them from the consequences of their own conduct. No such protection is presently afforded to anyone by the fair Housing Act†. And he couldn’t be more wrong it’s not protection against the consequence of the action, its giving someone an even playing field, it’s allowing a person to obtain a home for their family, and have dignity. And let me add some more madness to this already un-just issue, most of these people have jobs, and can afford to ren t and pay utilities, but yet they findShow MoreRelated Employment Discrimination Against Black Felons: The New Jim Crow Era1242 Words   |  5 PagesOne example of the new Jim Crow Era is Sonya Jennings. Sonya is a felon as well as an African American mother. She was given an eight years probation after being arrested for possession of narcotics. 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Apple Is Expanding Its Distribution Channels Free Essays

Apple is Expanding its Distribution Channels Cliff Edwards of Business Week harped on conflicts with existing retailers such as CompUSA and Sears, quoting CompUSA’s Lawrence N. Mondry, who declared, â€Å"When you choose to compete with your retailers, clearly that’s not a comfortable situation. † Mondry could have been describing the experience Mac buyers had when they stepped into most CompUSA stores. We will write a custom essay sample on Apple Is Expanding Its Distribution Channels or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was even worse at Sears. Realizing that they were being held over a barrel by big retailers that were used to calling the shots with computer OEMs and frequently provided a horrible purchasing environment for Apple products, the company did what it had to and took control of distribution. Apple retail stores would give the company the opportunity to â€Å"leapfrog† past dependence on other retailers. Daniel T. Niles of Lehman Brothers also saw the possibilities, telling MacWorld, â€Å"Apple has the ability to start attracting new customers with the launch of their higher-end retail store strategy. You can’t mention the surge in Mac sales without touching on the â€Å"Halo Effect† of the iPod. Apple made the iTunes/iPod combination available for Windows users. That move created several new distribution opportunities for Apple. First, it gave Windows users the opportunity to try Apple products without having to take the frightening plunge into the world of Macintosh. Apple finally had ac cess to a vast pool of Windows users it had previously been unable to touch. Second, it opened up a secondary market for iPod accessories and tie-ins. Had the iPod only been available for Macintosh users, a secondary market would have developed, but it would have been much, much smaller. Apple would never have been able to strike deals with auto manufacturers, for example. The connector on the bottom of every iPod (except the shuffle) became the point of entry to an incredible array of third-party products, and as that market grew, the iPod rapidly became the de facto standard portable multimedia device. Third, it gave the iTunes Store a tremendous head start. While a digital music store is handy in itself, none of the previously-existing stores had made much of a dent in consumer behavior. They didn’t operate particularly well with Windows-based MP3 players, and they didn’t offer broad enough music libraries. Apple struck deals with all the major labels and created a store that provided an easy, addictingly-convenient interface and seamless integration with the iPod. As the universe of purchased iPods grew, so did the market for the iTunes Store. The integration of iPod and iTunes also created a gestalt effect as Apple moved beyond music. Just as the Apple retail stores bypassed middlemen, the iTunes/iPod combination created a direct link between Apple and its customers. As Apple adds more capabilities to the iTunes Store, and does the same with the iPod, the two should continue to energize each other, provided Apple rolls out the right kinds of features. In 2001 Apple Computer has been taken a decision to open a series of retail stores that would display their entire line of Apple computer products, software and peripherals. Part of the decision, Apple’s declining share of the computer market. Now the company has opened over 130 stores, including in Japan, Canada and the UK. It’s latest annual report states that they will continue capital expenditures for retail operations, indicating that they have a long-term strategy for opening more stores. Apple Computer Store Products Hardware: It includes, iMac, Mac Mini, iBook, Mac Book, Mac Book Pro, iPod, Apple Cinema Displays, Airport Cards, iSight, Apple accessories etc. These are purchased from the Apple Store Online or by the phone. Apple Software: It includes iLife, iWork application bundles, Mac OS X, DVD Studio Pro, FinalCut Pro, and other miscellaneous Apple software titles. Third Party Software: It is made for Mac OS X, such as productivity software, design software, utilities, games much everything new that has been released for Mac OS X. Select Third Party Accessories: In this Apple ranges starts from Apple notebooks and iPod sleeves to speakers, printers, scanners, memory upgrades, and digital cameras. In Apple Store there are two types, those are: Retail store Online store The Apple Store, Regent Street, London, UK, is part of a chain of retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc. , dealing in computers and consumer electronics. As of April 2008, Apple has opened 209 stores, including 181 in 37 US states, 15 in the UK (14 in England, 1 in Scotland), seven in Japan, and 4 in Canada. Recently, Apple opened its first store in continental Europe, in Rome in Italy. In 2008, Apple will be opening 3 Australian stores, 1 located in Melbourne and 2 in Sydney. This store is the first Apple Store in Europe. It opened in autumn 2004 Will Apple’s stainless steel architecture have to take a background to the historic buildings of other countries? In Japan, Apple uses English almost exclusively. But other countries may not embrace English, preferring to see their own language used in store signage. Apple will have to balance the cost of constructing a store, recruiting a suitable staff, and operating the store against the potential revenues, which in turns depends upon the registered Macintosh community, median income, currency trends and general retailing environment–just like at home! Apple’s centralized and extremely consumer oriented approach to mobile software distribution is revolutionary My argument is that it’s revolutionary in the same way the iPod and iTunes were revolutionary. Basically, the formula is similar to why Apple succeeded w/ the iPod and iTunes despite competition from manufacturers like Sony, ancient models for music distribution, and technology inept publishers Apple’s Solution: take the carriers out of the picture and give the developers a low cost or zero cost distribution channel Jobs began Apple’s turnaround with the 2001 introduction of the iPod, which defined and then dominated the portable-music-player market—and which became central to the resuscitation of Apple’s computer line. The Mac, once derided as a toy, today is the best personal computer on the planet, period. And the iPhone is the best smart phone. Nothing else comes close. As of the third quarter of 2008, Apple’s iPhone was outselling the Research in MotionBlackBerry, even though the iPhone had been in the market for only 15 months. When measured by revenues, Apple has become the world’s third-largest mobile-phone maker, behind Nokia and Samsung. All this is happening just as mobile devices are poised to become the most important computing platform. same or similar products. Strategic management, horizontal integration is a theory of ownership and control. It is a strategy used by a business or corporation that seeks to sell one type of product in numerous markets. To get this market coverage, several small subsidiary companies are created. Each markets the product to a different market segment or to a different geographical area. This is sometimes referred to as the horizontal integration of marketing. The horizontal integration of production is where a firm has plants in several locations producing similar products. Apple is leader on the MP3 player market. Dynamic approach: history of a firm can explain its leader position. In my example, Apple innovates with its couple iPod+iTunes and keeps the leadership since Some points of its strategy are astonishing because they look similar as Apple strategy for PC. Apple doesn’t want to licence its own DRM, so if you want buy a song on internet for your iPod you have to go to the iTunesMuciStore and to listen this song directly on a MP3 player you must have an iPod (some consumers lodge a complaint against Apple). So, Apple does the same thing for its MP3 player than the computers about twenty years ago. Short term Apple wins but the market increases and we can’t know how this leadership will progress and if Apple would change its strategy. The theory of games can help us to understand this choice and the risks. Installed firms are Stackelberg leader on the market, the potential entrance adapt its quantity. (Bain, J. (1968) Apple Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries design, manufacture, and market personal computers, portable digital music players, and mobile communication devices, and sell various related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, its retail stores, its direct sales force, and third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells various third-party Macintosh, iPod, and iPhone compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and various other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores, and digital content through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative customers. As of December 27, 2008, it had 251 retail stores. Apple Inc. , formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc. , was founded in 1976. The company is headquartered in Cupertino, California Company Background Apple Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively â€Å"Apple† or the â€Å"Company†) design, manufacture, and market personal computers, portable digital music players, and mobile communication devices and sell a variety f related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions. The Company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, its retail stores, its direct sales force, and third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, the Company sells a variety of third-party Macintosh ® (â€Å"Mac†), iPod ® and iPhoneâ„ ¢ compatible products, including application software, pri nters, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and various other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores, and digital content through the iTunes Store ®. The Company sells to consumer, small and mid-sized business (â€Å"SMB†), education, enterprise, government, and creative customers. The Company’s fiscal year is the 52 or 53-week period that ends on the last Saturday of September. Unless otherwise stated, all information presented in this Form 10-K is based on the Company’s fiscal calendar. Business Strategy The Company is committed to bringing the best personal computing, portable digital music and mobile communication experience to consumers, students, educators, businesses, and government agencies through its innovative hardware, software, peripherals, services, and Internet offerings. The Company’s business strategy leverages its unique ability to design and develop its own operating system, hardware, application software, and services to provide its customers new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative industrial design. The Company believes continual investment in research and development is critical to the development and enhancement of innovative products and technologies. In addition to evolving its personal computers and related solutions, the Company continues to capitalize on the convergence of the personal computer, digital consumer electronics and mobile communications by creating and refining innovations, such as the iPod, iPhone, iTunes Store, and Apple TV ®. The Company desires to support a community for the development of third-party products that complement the Company’s offerings through its developer programs. The Company offers various third-party software applications and hardware accessories for Mac ® computers, iPods and iPhones through its retail and online stores, as well as software applications for the iPhone platform through its iTunes ® App Store. The Company’s strategy also includes expanding its distribution network to effectively reach more of its targeted customers and provide them with a high-quality sales and post-sales support experience. Consumer and Small and Mid-Sized Business The Company believes a high-quality buying experience with knowledgeable salespersons who can convey the value of the Company’s products and services greatly enhances its ability to attract and retain customers. The Company sells many of its products and resells certain third-party products in most of its major markets directly to consumers and businesses through its retail and online stores. The Company has also invested in programs to enhance reseller sales, including the Apple Sales Consultant Program, which places Apple employees and contractors at selected third-party reseller locations. The Company believes providing direct contact with its targeted customers is an efficient way to demonstrate the advantages of its Mac computers and other products over those of its competitors. At the end of fiscal 2008, the Company had opened a total of 247 retail stores, including 205 stores in the U. S. and a total of 42 stores internationally. The Company has typically located its stores at high-traffic locations in quality shopping malls and urban shopping districts. A goal of the Company’s retail business is to expand its installed base through sales to customers who currently do not already own the Company’s products. By operating its own stores and locating them in desirable high-traffic locations, the Company is better positioned to control the customer buying experience and attract new customers. The stores are designed to simplify and enhance the presentation and marketing of the Company’s products and related solutions. To that end, retail store configurations have evolved into various sizes in order to accommodate market-specific demands. The stores employ experienced and knowledgeable personnel who provide product advice, service, and training. The stores offer a wide selection of third-party hardware, software, and various other accessory products and peripherals selected to complement the Company’s own products. Business Organization The Company manages its business primarily on a geographic basis. The Company’s reportable operating segments consist of the Americas, Europe, Japan, and Retail. The Americas, Europe, and Japan reportable segments do not include activities related to the Retail segment. The Americas segment includes both North and South America. The Europe segment includes European countries as well as the Middle East and Africa. The Retail segment operates Apple-owned retail stores in the U. S. and in international markets. Each reportable geographic operating segment and the Retail operating segment provide similar hardware and software products and similar services. Further information regarding the Company’s operating segments may be found in Part II, The Company has signed multi-year agreements with various cellular network carriers authorizing them to distribute and provide cellular network services for iPhone 3G in over 70 countries. These agreements are generally not exclusive with a specific carrier, except in the U. S. , U. K. , France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, and certain other countries. The Company expects to ship iPhone 3G in over 70 countries by the end of calendar year 2008. Markets and Distribution The Company’s customers are primarily in the consumer, SMB, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. The Company distributes its products through wholesalers, resellers, national and regional retailers, and cataloguers. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of net sales in 2008, 2007, or 2006. The Company also sells many of its products and resells certain third-party products in most of its major markets directly to customers through its own sales force and retail and online stores. Significant portions of the Company’s Mac computers, iPods, iPhones, logic boards, and other assembled products are manufactured by outsourcing partners, primarily in various parts of Asia. A significant concentration of this outsourced manufacturing is currently performed by only a few of the Company’s outsourcing partners, often in single locations. Certain of these outsourcing partners are the sole-sourced suppliers of components and manufacturing outsourcing for many of the Company’s key products, including but not limited to final assembly of substantially all of the Company’s portable Mac computers, iPods, iPhones and most of the Company’s iMacs. Although the Company works closely with its outsourcing partners on manufacturing schedules, the Company’s operating results could be adversely affected if its outsourcing partners were unable to meet their production commitments. The Company’s purchase commitments typically cover its requirements for periods ranging from 30 to 150 days. Foreign and Domestic Operations and Geographic Data The U. S. represents the Company’s largest geographic marketplace. Approximately 57% of the Company’s net sales in 2008 came from sales to customers inside the U. S. Final assembly of the Company’s products is currently performed in the Company’s manufacturing facility in Ireland, and by external vendors in California, the Republic of Korea (â€Å"Korea†), the People’s Republic of China (â€Å"China†) and the Czech Republic. Currently, the supply and manufacture of many critical components is performed by sole-sourced third-party vendors in the U. S. , China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore. Sole-sourced third-party vendors in China perform final assembly of substantially all of the Company’s portable products, including MacBook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, iPods, iPhone, and most of the Company’s iMacs. Margins on sales of the Company’s products in foreign countries, and on sales of products that include components obtained from foreign suppliers, can be adversely affected by foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and by international trade regulations, including tariffs and antidumping penalties. The Company’s operations and performance depend significantly on worldwide economic conditions Global markets for personal computers, digital music devices, mobile communication devices, and related peripherals and services are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change. If the Company is unable to compete effectively in these markets, its financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected. The Company competes in global markets that are highly competitive and characterized by aggressive price cutting, with its resulting downward pressure on gross margins, frequent introduction of new products, short product life cycles, evolving industry standards, continual improvement in product price/performance characteristics, rapid adoption of technological and product advancements by competitors, and price sensitivity on the part of consumers. The Company’s ability to compete successfully depends heavily on its ability to ensure a continuing and timely introduction of new innovative products and technologies to the marketplace. The Company believes it is unique in that it designs and develops nearly the entire solution for its personal computers, consumer electronics, and mobile communication devices, including the hardware, operating system, several software applications, and related services. As a result, the Company must make significant investments in research and development and as such, the Company currently holds a significant number of patents and copyrights and has registered and/or has applied to register numerous patents, trademarks and service marks. By contrast, many of the Company’s competitors seek to compete primarily through aggressive pricing and very low cost structures. If the Company is unable to continue to develop and sell innovative new products with attractive margins or if other companies To remain competitive and stimulate customer demand, the Company must successfully manage frequent product introductions and transitions. Due to the highly volatile and competitive nature of the personal computer, consumer electronics and mobile communication industries, the Company must continually introduce new products and technologies, enhance existing products, and effectively stimulate customer demand for new and upgraded products. The success of new product introductions depends on a number of factors, including timely and successful product development, market acceptance, the Company’s ability to manage the risks associated with new products and production ramp issues, the availability of application software for new products, the effective management of purchase commitments and inventory levels in line with anticipated product demand, the availability of products in appropriate quantities and costs to meet anticipated demand, and the risk that new products may have quality or other defects in the early stages of introduction. Accordingly, the Company cannot determine in advance the ultimate effect of new product introductions and transitions on its financial condition and operating results. The Company’s success depends largely on its ability to attract and retain key personnel. Much of the Company’s future success depends on the continued service and availability of skilled personnel, including its CEO, its executive team and key employees in technical, marketing and staff positions. Experienced personnel in the technology industry are in high demand and competition for their talents is intense, especially in the Silicon Valley, where most of the Company’s key employees are located. The Company has relied on equity awards as one means for recruiting and retaining this highly skilled talent. Accounting regulations requiring the expensing of stock options have resulted in increased stock-based compensation expense, which has caused the Company to reduce the number of stock-based awards issued to employees and could negatively impact the Company’s ability to attract and retain key personnel. Additionally, significant adverse volatility in the Company’s stock price could result in a stock option’s exercise price exceeding the underlying stock’s market value or a significant deterioration in the value of restricted stock units (â€Å"RSUs†) granted, thus lessening the The Company’s business is subject to the risks of international operations. The Company derives a large and growing portion of its revenue and earnings from its international operations. As a result, its financial condition and operating results could be significantly affected by risks associated with international activities, including economic and labor conditions, political instability, tax laws (including U. S. taxes on foreign subsidiaries), and changes in the value of the U. S. dollar versus local currencies. Margins on sales of the Company’s products in foreign countries, and on sales of products that include components obtained from foreign suppliers, could be materially adversely affected by foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and by international trade regulations, including tariffs and antidumping penalties. The Company’s primary exposure to movements in foreign currency exchange rates relate to non-U. S. dollar denominated sales in Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada, and certain parts of Asia, as well as non-U. S. dollar denominated operating expenses incurred throughout the world. Weakening of foreign currencies relative to the U. S. dollar will adversely affect the U. S. dollar value of the Company’s foreign currency-denominated sales and earnings, and generally will lead the Company to raise international pricing, potentially reducing demand for the Company’s products. In some circumstances, due to competition or other reasons, the Company may decide not to raise local prices to the full extent of the dollar’s strengthening, or at all, which would adversely affect the U. S. dollar value of the Company’s foreign currency denominated sales and earnings. Conversely, a strengthening of foreign currencies, while generally beneficial to the Company’s foreign currency-denominated sales and earnings, could cause the Company to reduce international pricing, thereby limiting the benefit. As strengthening of foreign currencies may also increase the Company’s cost of product components denominated in those currencies. The Company has used derivative instruments, such as foreign exchange forward and option positions, to hedge certain exposures to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. The use of such hedging activities may not offset any or more than a portion of the adverse financial effects of unfavorable movements in foreign exchange rates over the limited time the hedges are in place. The Company’s retail business has required and will continue to require a substantial investment and commitment of resources and is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Through September 27, 2008, the Company had opened 247 retail stores. The Company’s retail stores have required substantial fixed investment in equipment and leasehold improvements, information systems, inventory, and personnel. The Company also has entered into substantial operating lease commitments for retail space with terms ranging from 5 to 20 years, the majority of which are for 10 years. Certain stores have been designed and built to serve as high-profile venues to promote brand awareness and serve as vehicles for corporate sales and marketing activities. Because of their unique design elements, locations and size, these stores require substantially more investment than the Company’s more typical retail stores. Due to the high fixed cost structure associated with the Retail segment, a decline in sales or the closure or poor performance of individual or multiple stores could result in significant lease termination costs, write-offs of equipment and leasehold improvements, and severance costs that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and operating results. The Company’s headquarters are located in Cupertino, California. The Company has a manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland. As of September 27, 2008, the Company leased approximately 4. 2 million square feet of space, primarily in the U. S. and to a lesser extent, in Europe, Japan, Canada, and the Asia Pacific region. The major facility leases are generally for terms of 3 to 20 years and generally provide renewal options for terms of 1 to 5 additional years. Leased space includes approximately 1. 8 million square feet of retail space, a majority of which is in the U. S. Lease terms for reta il space range from 5 to 20 years, the majority of which are for 10 years, and often contain multi-year renewal options. As of September 27, 2008, the Company owned a 367,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland that also housed a customer support call center. The Company also owned 805,000 square feet of facilities in Sacramento, California that include warehousing and distribution operations, as well as a customer support call center. In addition, the Company owned approximately 2. 3 million square feet of facilities for research and development and corporate functions in Cupertino, California, including approximately 1. 0 million square feet purchased in 2007 and 2006 for the future development of the Company’s second corporate campus in Cupertino, California, and approximately 107,000 square feet for a data center in Newark, California. Outside the U. S. , the Company owned additional facilities totaling approximately 129,000 square feet as of September 27, 2008. The Company believes its existing facilities and equipment are well maintained and in good operating condition. The Company has invested in internal capacity and strategic relationships with outside manufacturing vendors, and therefore believes it has adequate manufacturing capacity for the foreseeable future. The Company continues to make investments in capital equipment as needed to meet anticipated demand for its products. Globalization, Technology, and E-business are all major factors influencing today’s business world. They influence many of our business related decisions on a daily basis. Some of these decisions could be deciding to use a computer to order a new desk from Singapore or using your cell phone to make a conference call in India. Even Apple’s management functions are not immune to these critical factors. Apple began selling personal computers produced in the garage of one of the founders in 1976. They were incorporated in 1977. Apple’s first important product, the Apple II, personal computer was released in 1977 and by 1982 sales had increased to over $750 million. (Kimmel, 1998). It was clear that globalization played a big part in this success. Globalization is becoming a must have for large organizations to excel above their competition. With that being said globalization has been influential to Apple’s revenue. According to Apple, their â€Å"international sales accounted for 43 percent of the quarter’s revenue† (Dowling, 2005), this is continuing to rise. The rise in revenue is a result of excellent management and planning. Because of the need to go international, Apple created a strategic plan to go forward in the direction of globalization. This type of globalization will involve countries with different needs and different markets. For instance, planning a marketing scheme must involve the different variables that apply for each market. When planning globally, company structure must be taken into consideration. With that being said organization and control go hand in hand Steve Jobs came back once again as the CEO of Apple in 1997. This time he had a new game plan, and Apple started to focus on the digital lifestyle of consumers. This proved to be Apple’s most successful business strategy to date because a once ineffective company now had ruled the computer world. In 2005, Apple announced that it would start using Intel-based chips to run Macintosh computers. In April 2006, Apple announced Boot Camp, which allows users of Intel-based Macs to boot either Mac or Windows OS. This functionality allows users who may need both OSs to own just one machine to run both, albeit not simultaneously How to cite Apple Is Expanding Its Distribution Channels, Papers

You Can Go Your Own Way free essay sample

An analysis of the nature of Emersons feelings on democracy. This paper deals with Ralph Emersons attitudes and principals concerning democracy and how one mans actions can affect society as a whole. Touched-on points include how Emersons version of virtue could have given us a perfect societyor so he thought. At first, Ralph Waldo Emersons essay Self-Reliance seems to be a rather outspoken reiteration of Shakespeares oft-quoted line from Hamlet: This above all: To thine own self be true. Emerson calls for everyone to stop obeying the conventions of society simply for the sake of obeying the conventions of society, and for everyone to instead take whatever actions their hearts deem appropriate and necessary. It would follow that such an essay would end up being nothing more than a call for complete social anarchy, but this does not turn out to be the case; in fact, Emerson argues strongly in favor of democracy, but democracy a bit different than what we usually think of today. We will write a custom essay sample on You Can Go Your Own Way or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Eating Disorders Types And Treatments Essays - Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders: Types and Treatments People with Bulimia, like those with Anorexia, do not see their bodies realistically. They see themselves in as no matter what the true reflection is. To attain thinness a Bulimic will allow themselves to eat, but then, feel very guilty. As a result of this guilt they will force themselves to throw up, exercise excessively, fast, and often abuse laxatives. This cycle is called binging and purging. A person with Bulimia may range in wieght from slightly underwieght to normal to slightly overweight. This may make it hard to recognize the disorder. Bulimia, like Anorexia , is unhealthy and dangerous because of malnutrition and dehydration. People suffering from Anorexia want very much to be thin. To attain this, they simply stop eating and starve themselves. Regardless of their actual weight, patients with Anorexia will continue to starve themselves even as they are becoming dangerously thin. Eating so little can cause serious health problems, malnutrion, and sadly even death. People with this eating disorder, like the Bulimic will binge. The difference is the compulsive over eater will not purge, although they may feel guilty or diet often. Compulsive over eaters, may range from normal to overweight. Their health may suffer from poor nutrition and diet habits. Group therapy is not only an appropriate modality, but often a chosen modality for its cost-savings as well as its powerful effects. In groups specifically devoted to issues of eating disorders, a patient can gain not only support for the gradual gains they accomplish, but also be confronted on issues more easily than in individual therapy. Children and adolescents can also suffer from this disorder. Treatment for this population needs to emphasize and increase the positive reinforcements granted for each incremental weight gain. These should occur on a daily basis and different rewards should be given for different increments gained (e.g., a reward for 1/4 lb. should be different than a reward for a 1/2 lb.). By focusing on weight increase and not food intake, this technique will likely minimize distracting and useless arguments. Hospitalization of anybody for a mental disorder can often be a confusing and emotion-wrought decision. Family members or significant others may need to intervene in the patient's life to ensure they do not starve themselves to death. In these cases, hospitalization is not only necessary, but a prudent treatment intervention. Family members should be aware that individuals who suffer from anorexia nervosa will often resist treatment of any sort, especially hospitalization. It is important, therefore, to come to an agreement about the need for such a step and not be swayed by the patient's pleas for seeking alternative treatment options. Often these have already been tried to no success. Some medications can be extremely helpful in treatment a person who suffers from anorexia nervosa. As always, the medication should be carefully monitored, especially since the patient may be vomiting, which may impact on the medication's effectiveness. A trusting and honest relationship must be established between the physician and the individual or mediation compliance will almost certainly become an issue. Antidepressants (such as amitriptyline) are the usual drug treatment and may speed up the recovery process. Chlorpromazine may be beneficial for those individuals suffering from severe obsessions and increased anxiety and agitation. Eating disorders are horrible things which affect out society. I have learned what they are, how they are caused and some treatments for them. I know what signs to look for in a person with eating disorders, because I may encouter someone with anorexia or bulimia.

Michelangeli essays

Michelangeli essays Michelangeli began playing Mozart Concertos as early as 1947. His favorite concertos are No. 13, 15, 20, 23, and 25. One would be to assuming a 'classical' over 'romantic' in that the former ethos-oriented organization runs against the passion and freedom. But clearly what differs in this case the classical-pathos-ethos from romantic-pathos is the discipline Michelangeli is known to have brought to Mozart. Effects would vary but a central forci is of absence and aloofness associated with that ethos-oriented mode of expression. For instance the Concerts with Giulini in the 1950s is dry as lacking in all visible manifestation of emotions. An attempt disparate as two opposing elements are and desperate as trying to dismiss all possible emotional connections. What is so marvelous is the outcome ascending into ether never to be seen by human eyes. Michelangeli does this as if a performer completely out in the field, from time to time drop in for something here and there. If he is studious and is a student of sport in his studio recording with EMI (EMI References CDH 7 63819 2), Michelangeli here is someone extricating from every conceivable difficulties facing any technician. One could say it is the farthest distance ever run by any Olympian, without sacrificing sanity and integrity. Here ethos greets pathos without scolding at each other, in harmony. Yet the most eerie and unerring phenomenon would occur in June 21, 1956, in Lugano. Michelangeli gives concert on Mozart Concerto No. 15. The Concerto No. 15 here is played with so much speed and augur it flats out the impending phenomenon, withholding it from breaking into the present circumstances. With which speed and surgical accuracy calls only to inspire dread and justify supra-self? Whether he really cares or not, even this would be a harass and would have impact on his 15 with Ettore Cracis conducting, a studio recording, released by EMI (CDM 7692412), in ways it tilts firmest ground h...

Operation and Competition Situation of UK Oil & Gas Industry Essay

Operation and Competition Situation of UK Oil & Gas Industry - Essay Example The major rationale for selecting this industry however is that, regardless of its important place in UK’s economy, growth in the sector has not been steady in the last few years as seen in figure 1 below. The paper therefore tries to critique the cause and finds solutions from the perspective of selected companies. BP was selected to be a general representation of larger oil and gas companies whose daily production is beyond 1,000,000 barrels a day. On the whole, the rationale behind the selection of BP is the diversity and differences it offers in its business and marketing approaches as a large company. The selection of Cairn was for the reason of the fact that the company gave a perfect representation of smaller oil and gas companies whose daily production is below 35,000 barrels a day. The company also uses a focus strategic option, which makes it possible to compare this strategic option with other companies to determine its effects. As depicted in figure 2, it will be seen that in terms of production units, it can be said that the selection of Premier have been made based on medium market size with production above 35,000 barrels but less than 100,000 barrels. This is an important rationale to pursue, given the fact that the individual growth of these companies will turn out to be collective growth of the oil and gas industry in the UK (Ferguson, 2004). Gross profit margin: This is a type of profitability financial ratio that measures financial health by estimating proportion of money left over from the company’s revenues after accounting for the cost of goods sold (COGS) (Weston, 1990). This gross profit margin is selected to determine how financially healthy the companies are, which is; Net profit margin: This is another profitability measure that determines how much each pound earned by the company is turned into profits (Houston and Brigham, 2009). This is selected in the study to

Keynesianism as Crisis Management Strategy Essay

Keynesianism as Crisis Management Strategy - Essay Example He went to India for work, after completing his graduation. He earned fellowship of King's college due to his work on dissertation. In the year 1908 he returned back to Cambridge from India by quiting his civil service job. After leaving the job Keynes joined the Treasury (Davidson, 2007). His first published book was "The Economic Consequences of the Peace" in which he abundantly criticized the wars and forecasted about the German revenge. That particular book became the best selling book of its time and made Keynes world famous (Davidson, 2007). Keynes known work was "The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money" which was published in the year 1936, in which he elaborated about the employment and the causes of underestimated or overestimated the interest rates and its impact on the economy, which eventually became the yardstick for the future economic thoughts. Due to his great work he was awarded as the 'Most Influential Economist' of Britain which motivated him to join the country's treasury again in 1942. He played a decisive role during the world war which always secures his name as a great economist (Samuelson, 2002). Keynes put forward the main causes of depression in order to tackle with the hazards and symptoms of the depression. Keynes introduced the theory of liquidity preference framework, which is known as "Keynesian Liquidity Preference Framework", which defines the people's intentions and desire to hold the money in cash or in redeemable assets. According to Keynes, income can be categorized into three broad terms which are defined in his liquidity preference framework. Cash to Cash Precautionary Speculative Keynes defines the concept of high money supply and high savings, and related his topic with the unemployment rate and increasing economy of the country. As per him, money must not be hoarded and it must be rolled over which eventually induces the investment graph of the country to rise (Begg, 1998). He intimated that no doubt that the high supply of money condenses the unemployment rate but on the contrary it will hike the inflation rate up to an optimal level, let say if every American becomes a millionaire after a number of printing of treasury in Federal Reserve Bank (FED), then there will be no servant or worker left to do biddings which urges the nation to hire people from outside the country on high salaries and wages which ultimately influences the inflation rate to rise. So, persistently sending the money can be the remedy to overcome these circumstances, which is known as the best cure of recession. Keynes said that if a "Liquidity Gap" occurs in the economy of the country then the country badly plunges. A liquidity gap occurs when the people of the country are reluctant to invest and willing to hoard the money rather than spending, which is mainly due to the consumers loss of confidence on the economy probably due to the stock market crash or the prevailing situation in the country. Hurricane and other natural disasters can be a cause which hampered between the consumer spending and savings. The concept of

The Dynamic Legislative Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Dynamic Legislative Process - Essay Example I indeed responded to the five questions based on my opinion and my rating was that I was generally comfortable with how the congress work as opposed to the previous people who responded to those questions who said that they were fairly dissatisfied with how the congress operates. In section 3, I learnt a lot about how the congress work not according to the way the public think things should be done. For example in the opinion that the public thought that the congress was very slow in it process and Wilson responded this by saying things should not be that way because a public that is capable of doing good things quickly, it is also capable of doing bad things quickly. In the opinion of the public was that they dislike a congress that is always arguing and with conflict but Rosenthal opposed this and said it was very health when there is conflict in representative democracy as this helps to avoid concentration of power at any one place in the government. He argues that if America was to be a representative democracy, then conflict must exist between decision makers. I agree with Hibbing and Theiss-Morse when they write that "Much of what the public dislikes about Congress is endemic to what a legislature is" because they lack an appreciation for the ugliness of democracy. Lee Hamilton explained the real legis

Business Essays Corporate Governance

Business Essays Corporate Governance Corporate Governance Executive Summary The main goal of the report is to evaluate the current corporate governance of a certain organization. In this report, the company that has given emphasis is a food retailing company which operates in UK. This company has been able to have effective corporate governance. However, there are still issues that should be given attention in order to ensure that the company is implementing effective corporate governance. The report includes the analysis of the corporate governance structure of the company as well as the issues concerning the board of the organisation. Furthermore, this report also analyses the positive and the negative aspects of the corporate governance implemented in the organisation.All in all it can be concluded that the company has been able to have as strong and systematic corporate governance to ensure quality output. Late in the 1980s, it became apparent that a fundamental shift in the power relationship between a firm’s shareholders and its professional managers was taking place. Shareholders increased their control over the firm’s professional managers, demanding that managers respond more quickly to poor financial performance and to changes in the competitive environment. Stockholders were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with management’s slowness and the ineffectiveness of their actions in trying to adapt to new environmental conditions. Many stockholders became convinced that management did not keep the shareholders’ interests in mind while developing and implementing new strategies. Numerous stories have appeared in the business press chronicling the efforts of shareholders to exert control over corporate management. Fortune magazine’s January 11, 1993, issue featured a cover story by T. Stewart titled â€Å"The King Is Dead,† proclaiming the death of the imperial corporate presidency (Chaganti Sherman, 1998). An increasing number of chief executive officers have been forced to relinquish control of their organizations to others who will more quickly implement massive corporate change. According to Stapledon (1996), corporate governance can be defined as a system that is used in order to direct and control companies. As a matter of fact, this idea applies to all business sectors all throughout the world such as the banking institutions, financial corporations and other types of businesses such as the retailing industry. In particular, corporate governance refers to the examination of the control of a company as utilized by its directors. In accordance to theory, the directors of public companies are held responsible for their action by their shareholders (Davies, 1999). On the other hand, the authority of the shareholders to influence the behavior of the company directors is limited in practice and is rarely exercised. This then provides directors of considerable power to take action as they see fit. However, this is not always the case as it appears to be relatively different form that of the government in which the action of the officials is slightly restrained b y certain actions of the people it governs. Corporate governance, as a term, has come to imply good, in the non-moral as well as the moral sense. Its non-moral applications include efficient decision making, appropriate resource allocation, strategic planning, and so on (Monks Minow, 2001). Nonetheless, in its moral sense good corporate governance has come to be seen as promoting an ethical climate that is both morally appropriate in itself, and consequentially appropriate in that ethical behavior in business is reflected in desirable commercial outcomes (Francis, 2000). Thus, the links here are with due diligence, directors duties, and the general tightening of corporate responsibility. Corporate governance should set a proper example of good intent, and provide for those lower in corporate hierarchies the clear message that it is â€Å"do as I do† as well as â€Å"do as I say† (Francis, 2000). Middle and lower management find it hard to be ethical when it seems that the top of the corporate hierarchy have no commitment. The message of sincerity will always filter down, and no amount of deception will foster the view that a board is ethical when it plainly is not. Additionally, the commitment to ethical corporate governance by a board will enhance the prospects of an ethical infrastructure within the organization. That ethical infrastructure is a manifestation of the commitment, a means of preventing and resolving ethical problems, and an impressive demonstration of sincerity. Primarily, the objective of this paper is to analyse the corporate governance implemented in the company. Herein, the company that will be given emphasis is a food retailing company. Overview of the Company Kay (1995) stated that food retailing in Britain is dominated by six chains and that the oldest and largest is the company that will be analysed in this report. The founder started the company by establishing its first grocery store in south London over a century ago, and the family tradition and the philosophy of good quality products at competitive prices have remained central to the firm ever since. Conservatively managed, the company came to the stock market only in 1973 and since then has expanded steadily from its loyal, and mostly southern, customer base. Founded in the year 1869 in London, John and his wife established their first shop, a dairy business in an area called Drury Lane. Because of the fact that Drury Lane was considered as one of the underdeveloped areas in the city back then, the shop managed to gain recognition in the area as it had products that were inexpensive despite the fact that they were of high-quality. Due to the business’ resounding success, two more shops later on opened at other streets. In the year 1882, the firm already had four shops that were in operation. But this didn’t stop the owner from further expanding his business. Hence, he unveiled his plans to have a storehouse in a town in northwest London in order to accommodate his growing number of supplies. At the same time, it was in this place that the first brand product of the company, namely bacon kilns, was made. Consequently, it was in the same year that the company opened its first branch in a town called Croydon. Unlike the other towns, Croydon was prosperous. And so, the shop here sold superior quality products. Not to mention, it looked much better than the previous shops that had opened. From here on, Sainsbury would continue to grow. At present, this food retailing has been able to hold on to the lead in the market. As a matter of fact, the company is pretty much advanced in many aspects, especially with regards to technology and of course, its fresh products. The company was the first to be able to use scanning and computerized stock control technology. In addition, it had implemented certain techniques such as sales-based ordering. All-in-all, these factors contributed greatly to the company’s competitive advantage that it is currently enjoying. Not to mention, its computerized energy management has helped bring down the consumption of energy. Moving on, the firm has a wide range of products. In fact, during the year 1994, its number of products multiplied more than twice its original number. And as of the moment, the business continues to pride itself with its specialty in fresh foods such as fruits, breads and low-fat milks. Even up to now, their customers continue to demand for even better products which the company efficiently responds to. The corporation is now mainly concentrated on their business in the UK (United Kingdom). This includes the supermarkets, the bank and its recently acquired stores which sells bells. Moreover, the company now has other products which are not food-associated such as home equipment, beauty products, clothing apparel and other general merchandise. As of March 2004, figures indicate that the firm is operating at least 583 supermarkets and it also has 50 banking centers which are housed in the stores themselves and as a result, the workforce has ballooned to about 153,000 people. Nature and Style of Governance It can be said that the company has a very good framework that has been established in order to deal with different corporate matters. In fact, there is usually a properly structured program that is further reinforced by company policies and other procedures for the proper guidance of the directors in their daily duties. Consequently, the company has a clear reference guide to its business operations and corporate governance. The Board of Directors which oversee the businesses and the decision-making routines as well as the financial aspect of things, keeps watch. In addition, this includes the maintenance of the standards with regards to corporate governance in the corporation’s different sectors. The Board is made up of ten directors; two are executive while six are non-executive. Because of this, there is a fair division of responsibilities and other tasks among them. And while the non-executive directors are independent from the others, they are still able to contribute their experience and knowledge during Board discussions. Without a doubt, The Board is in-charge of caring for the company’s operations, assets, and its shareholders. All-in-all, the board aims to work with these factors in the hopes of maximizing performance. Because of this, it is The Board that is responsible for the finalization of budgets and strategic plans. And in order to ensure the firm’s competent operations, The Board conducts a monthly review of the company’s businesses in relation to its financial movements. Furthermore, there is a company law that obliges The Board of Directors to carefully prepare each year, a financial report that would have to be accurate and reliable reflecting the true state of the company. All things considered, The Board of Directors is the one that is responsible for the proper safekeeping of accounting statements and to ensure that these records are precise and truthful. In addition, the board is in-charge of guarding the company’s other assets as well as making the necessary steps in order to prevent complications such as fraud and other types of risks. Aside from the board of directors, the company also has other committees as part of their corporate governance. Just like the board, other committees have a well-established reference guide which also discusses their duties and their scope of authority within the corporation.Composed typically of independent directors who are non-executive, the remuneration committee handles the outline for the company’s remuneration policy which would eventually be reviewed by the board. Moreover, this group is also responsible for the various remuneration packages that are given to executive directors. On the other hand, there is also a nomination committee which is also made up of mostly non-executive directors. The responsibility of this group is to recommend to The Board on which people should be appointed as directors. Finally, there is also a group known as the audit committee. Compared to the other two, the members of this committee is purely composed of non-executive directors. This group’s duty is to make proper recommendations with regards to the company’s accounting policies as well as overseeing financial control within the corporation (Sternberg, 1998) . For this reason, the committee usually receives and reviews financial reports and other statements delivered to them. Then, they make a comprehensive report before they submit it to The Board. Of course, there is also the group’s evaluation of the risks involved which has always been done to assist with the company’s next business move, and have further control of the corporation’s different operations. Issues Concerning the Board The board of directors is responsible for ensuring that the organization always has the best business performance and corporate governance. However, there are several issues that concern the board. One of which is in terms of the level of skill and care expected of the directors, specifically the non-executive directors. All non-executives should take note of the following comments in the Report, which could well foreshadow the approach of a court: â€Å"It must be recognised that non-executive directors may bring different skills to a board, some quite specialised, and that such persons may have limited accounting experience. However, accounting is not so complicated that such directors should be excused responsibility for the accounts. Accounting issues can be clearly explained so as to be understood by sensible laymen. If accounts are gone through carefully, explaining significant items in them, laymen should be able to ask pertinent questions and make informed judgments thereon. If, after all this, the layman cannot understand the companys accounts, then he ought not to be a director of that company. Often it is the director with little accounting experience whose common sense may lead him to question what those with accountancy experience may let pass. The accountings issues in respect of which some make criticisms were nearly all ones which involved no accounting complexity and what was acceptable and what was not should have been obvious to any reasonable director possessed of the facts who sensibly applied his mind to the issue. In most instances, those directors who decided to adopt the accounting were in a better position than the auditors to determine whether the treatment applied was acceptable or not. Those directors were thus not entitled to suspend their own independent judgment and rely upon the fact that the auditors failed to prevent them from adopting an unacceptable course. Another issue that concerns the Board is in terms of inadequate financial information. There are time that some of the members of the board, never prepared or presented to the Board any consolidated budgets or managements accounts which brought together the budgets and results of all the divisions in the Group. The absence of consolidated management accounts facilitated the practice of unacceptable year end adjustments being made by the accountant directors, unbeknown to most of the other directors, to create extra reported profits. In the last few years, the first the board as a whole knew of the results to be published was when the preliminary or interim announcement was circulated for information at the close of the board meeting that invariably occurred the day prior to announcement. In effect, the board as a whole never discussed the details of the results or what lay behind them. The main boards lack of understanding of the composition of the reported results was an extraordinary state of affairs which no director should ever have tolerated. Positive Aspects of Governance The Board has been able to attain complete control of all matters regarding the company. Their self-perseverance and obligation to their duties and finally, their obedience to the company laws all contribute to the development of the corporation. As such, The Board constantly believes that all the data pertaining to financial information and other facts regarding to their operations that are currently being used is reliable. The Board’s authority is clearly recognized within the company. And because of this, it is able to have a solid grip on the corporation’s actual operations, stakeholders and its financial concerns. Needless to say, because of the corporation’s proper structure and its commitment to the stakeholders and to the community as well, the board of directors has proven that it can efficiently handle both its ethical and legal responsibilities. Furthermore, the company is currently maintaining good relations and open communications with its investors. As a matter of fact, shareholders are regularly invited by the corporation whenever there are gatherings to discuss trade updates. Moreover, whenever there is an annual general meeting, investors get the chance to meet The Board members themselves. And of course, for private investors, they can also access the company’s website for various shareholder services. Undoubtedly, the company has good consideration for all of its stakeholders; past, present and future. There definitely seems to be a very well planned framework in the firm’s corporate division. It has good policies and procedures with regards to financial matters and operational concerns. Its procedure of assessing the different kinds of situations that come up is certainly a good move on their part. Not to mention, they have maintained good relations with their stakeholders. And finally, The Boardâ€⠄¢s authority is unsurpassed. Clearly, these facts prove the strength of the company’s corporate governance structure. Negative Aspects The weakness on this case however, is the fact that it cannot always be assured that there are no losses or other errors which may result from mistakes and inconsistencies by one of the committees or employees involved. In addition, having diverse populations, there can be a possibility of having internal problems between members who have different culture and beliefs. In addition, some problems occur in terms of giving value to the companies’ shareholders. There are times that the shareholder is not given the enough information about the status of the company, specifically that shareholder which have a small part in the business. This happens when the board of directors does not give value to their shareholders. Other negative aspects include the imperfection of financial reporting procedures which may definitely result in ineffective corporate governance. Recommendation Corporate governance is said to be one of the most important aspects to be considered in an industry. Hence, it is recommended that the company should be able to determine the most appropriate and effective corporate governance structure and approach so as to ensure that the business will adhere to all social responsibilities, legal and ethical aspects. In addition it is also recommended that this food retailing industry should give value not only to its customers and employees but most especially to the shareholders who have trusted the company and its capabilities. The company must be able to align carefully their corporate governance approach with its organizational objectives. Conclusion Corporate governance is a process which is concerned about how corporations are managed, how managers are governed, what questions face by boards of directors and the accountability a corporation has to shareholders. In this case, it can be seen that the food retailing industry has been able to implement effective corporate governance which guides the organization to become more competitive in the marketplace. Accordingly the issues concerning the board include the level of skill and care expected of the directors and inadequate financial information. In order for the organization to address the issue, the members of the board are trying to create a resolution for these issues. In terms of positive aspects, the members of the company have been able to contribute well in ensuring competitive performance of the company. The board of directors of this organization ensures that all their actions are legal and adheres to business ethics. In addition, they also ensure that their social responsibility is also incorporated with their accountabilities. Although the company has positive aspects, it also has its negative aspects. One of which adheres to the notion that, because of the mistakes and inconsistencies of the individual involved, it cannot always be assured that there will be no losses or errors that will occur. In ability to handle diversities and differences is also a negative aspect that can be attached with the company’s corporate governance practice. Lastly, inability to ensure shareholder value is another negative aspect of the company. It is said that the shareholder is regarded as the central stakeholder of each industry. It can be concluded that in order for the company to have a competitive business performance, the company must start from within, from its corporate governance. Reference Chaganti, R., Sherman, H. (1998). Corporate Governance and the Timeliness of Change: Reorientation in 100 American Firms. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Davies, A. (1999). A strategic approach to corporate governance. London: Gower Publishing Limited. Francis, R. (2000). Ethics and Corporate Governance: An Australian Handbook. Sydney, N.S.W.: University of New South Wales Press. Kay, J. (1995). Foundations of Corporate Success: How Business Strategies Add Value. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Monks, R.A.G. and Minow, N. (2001). Corporate governance. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishes Ltd. Stapledon, G. (1996). Institutional Shareholders and Corporate Governance. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Sternberg, E. (1998). Corporate governance: accountability in the marketplace. London: The Institute of Economic Affairs.

Gypsies Essay -- essays research papers

Gypsies: The last nomads, the free-spirited, passionate bohemians with their mysterious rituals and powers. This romanticism is nearly as unfair as the fear and hate distracting us from recognizing the hardships and persecution these â€Å"carefree† people have undergone for centuries. In Europe, the Roma (as they wish to be call) have been cast out, burned at the stake, sterilized, ghettoized, forced to give up their traditional way of life, caught in other people’s wars, and more than half a million were slaughtered in the Holocaust. Roma misfortune can be attributed to the vicious cycle of poverty that paralyzes so many minorities situated in an unforgiving society. This cycle of poverty began and still exists today due to the discrimination that the Roma face because of, among other things, their skin color and unorthodox ways of making a living. Through out history the largest complaint about the Roma, however, has been their wandering lifestyle. What is interesting though, is that the Rom are no longer nomads. The few that do move from place to place are migrant and are forced across boarders by the very authorities that complain about their way of life. While some sources speculate that gypsies originally migrated from Egypt, it is usually agreed upon by most scholars that the gypsies came from India to Eastern Europe about a thousand years ago. The true reason for this move remains a mystery but many theories exist that they my have moved as a result of changes in the government, the economic situation or perhaps they have always been wonderers. Whatever the reason for their move, we will probably never know the truth. One gypsy lady learned during her childhood that â€Å"We were being punished for stealing the fourth nail that was needed in Christ’s crucifixion. That’s why his feet are crossed and nailed together. We were forced into wondering for taking this nail.† Whether gypsies were responsible for Christ’s missing nail one thing is certain: the gypsy’s dark Indian skin has made them the subject of ridicule for centuries; for it has been a European tradition to detest the non-ayrean. The Persian poet Firdausi is said to have written, â€Å"No washing ever whitens the black gypsy.† Even within religion the gypsies are not free from contempt. In his writings a German monk described gypsies as having â€Å"the most ugly faces, black like those of Tartars.† A... ... in the making,† most of the Roma feel that to exist in a ghetto is preferable to expulsion. As with non-European citizens in Italy, Roma have been given the label of extraexcommunitari, meaning they come from outside of the European Union, although most Roma have lived within the Union all their lives. The reason for this title is because the government still considers them nomadic. â€Å"Not even my grandfather was part of the traveling culture,† say Luigi Lusi a Rom. â€Å"It is obvious that we no longer harness up the horse and move from place to place daily,† he continued. Forcing gypsies to integrate has always failed because it is impossible to force a group of people who have spent their entire lives on the fringes of society to adapt to new educational and social environments, especially when they are very poor. Aside from their dark skin, the gypsy life that many Europeans find distasteful stems almost completely from the poverty that they have forced the gypsies into. The government will never receive their desired results from education programs and housing projects unless the deeply rooted discrimination against the Roma stops—something that will be very difficult to undo.

Cirque Du Soleil Essay

1. Cirque du Soleil does not have a product, they have a diverse, creative, critical thinking, artist works company; a circus without animals. Within this company, this show allows their featured unique artists, to tap into their creative side and create magic for an audience. Cirque du Soleil aims to create the greatest shows onstage all around the world. The core for a functioning Cirque du Soleil is behind the scenes, with artists and staff. Recruiting these people seems to be a challenge for this ever diverse world we live in. Recruiting and hiring these staff members for Cirque du Soleil is difficult because not many people will just run away to the circus. This lifestyle is an ever changing one, with artists of different cultures and diverse backgrounds. It cannot always be an easy mix for everyone to get along. It takes a special kind of person with that magic in their eyes, that will keep evolving and keep being an asset to the ever changing show. Although it is the same lifestyle these employees will be part of, they service two completely different jobs. Artists perform for the audience, whereas staff is simply there to serve the artists needs. Recruiting for this job takes time, the director Cantin has even traveled to twenty countries in search of local talent. In terms of recruiting and hiring staff, again asking someone to uproot themselves, for little pay, to cater to extremely unique artists demands can be a challenging proposition. Creating extensive rewards for these employees is key. The owners of this company have taken time to understand what the needs are of their staff and artists. Compensation such as free meals and board, as well as the opportunities to improve a talent or passion are aspects of this company where they continue to grow positively. From this article I would say that this company takes extensive time to evaluate and understand the needs of everyone they have on board. In the small market Cirque du Soleil services, it is essential every performer or staff member is â€Å"fit† for the company. This market seeks out individuals who are qualified mentally, and physically for the strenuous changing show and lifestyle. They search for people who are ready to hit the ground running and jump into shows. Here employees are encouraged to discover their magic and embrace their talents, in fact Cirque provides outlets to bring your talents to the next level. They want employees to be able to continuously develop as well as have clear heads of stereotypes. % quit: %15 %quit x current population : 15% x 475 = 71.25 = 72 Artists left: 475-72=403†¨Future demand: 500†¨Needed (500-403= 97) Keeping employees happy enough to stay is and will continue to be a problem for Cirque du Soleil. This problem will affect retention because, if employees are not happy, they will leave. If employees leave, there may not be enough staff to sustain the upcoming show, but the show must go on. This problem could potentially lead to a default product, a poor performance. Cirque provides an environment with different experiences constantly with no fixed structure but to allow artists to tap fully into who they are. By designating a heavy amount of time for managing the artists needs and analyzing what what would make there experience even better. Cirque du Soleil aims to create an environment with the best possible conditions that you don’t want to leave. By retaining employees core artists to the Cirque shows have and can obtain more hands on experience out in the world. Recruiting employees cost money and time. When artists are better at their job they provide stability within the company for a better transitional environment for new employees. Employees will effectively be able to teach each other the ropes, or provide support for one another. The concept is for artists to learn together. With the wide diversity of ethnicity, or gender it can be problematic to find employee who are non stereotype. Those who are open to all cultures. Compensation and benefits however is variable because income becomes an issue. Cirque has a variety of shows and venues that do not always provide steady pay. With that being said its hard to keep up with the rewarding benefits Cirque boasts about, such as providing new experiences. By giving the artists more say, a greater employee output is achieved, with higher job satisfaction, keeps employees. To solve its retention problems Cirque’s benefits heavily outweigh their drawbacks. Ultimately providing the best work environment than anyone in their competing market. Finding talent i is the second current problem Cirque is facing. Cirque du Soleil has created a name for themselves serving as a business that lets you play to your full potential as an artist. In doing so they created an even more diverse product that makes it hard to find that diamond in the rough in cities and continents. This problems affects staffing mostly because they have created a name for themselves that their brand is a luxury good, possibly making artists perceive their company as unachievable. Perspective employees want to work with the best performers around. Now that the company has made a name for themselves, they are hiring staff with more direct experience instead of performers with potential. With a changing and diverse work force this poses a problem within staffing. In creating diversity, gaps in language and background quickly becomes an issue. Training and development problems are solved by having current employees that have open mindsets about other cultures, providing a more welcoming environment. People coming from different socioeconomic backgrounds I would imagine feel secure in knowing they at least have paid meal and board. The shows performances cannot continue to increase levels of diversity without new talent. The current employees care about quality of their product. By having varying levels of skill and ability this could be exciting for new artist morale. Also by having a good training system to develop and articulate performances would provide a great benefit to perspective employees. The movement to keep the excitement alive is on!

Dubai Aluminum Opening a Branch in Saudi Arabia

Dubai Aluminum Opening a Branch in Saudi Arabia Opening a project in Saudi Arabia is not a difficult thing as far as the terms and conditions for foreign investors in the market is concerned. After joining the World Trade Organization, Saudi Arabia’s business regime became open to accommodate the foreign investors. The government also legitimized the merging of investors to form business cartels that would enable them acquire up to 51% of the market shares (Leroux 23)Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Dubai Aluminum: Opening a Branch in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Before Dubai could think of opening its branch in this market, a lot of research had to be carried out on the various macro and micro economies prevailing in the market. Some of the external factors that would have a significant impact on their business included: political interferences-despite the series of wars in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has in the recent past enjoyed poli tical stability and hence could provide adequate security to its investors. There are other political considerations that investors should keep in mind like the tax rates levied on goods and services, trade barriers, quotas, ownership rights and expropriations. These factors if favourable, may encourage more investors and vice versa. Another factor is economic stability in the country- which is slowly stabilizing from the increase in international prices of oil hence good for the investors. Technological factors- the country has embraced technology in all its sectors and this has greatly boosted their market economy hence attracting investors. The micro environment on the other hand, emanates from within the organization and its up to the managers to deal with them to ensure success of the company. These internal forces relay majorly on the organizational structure and its way of handling critical issues. Some of the differences in the market economy between Dubal and Saudi Arabia i nclude: Dubal is a world class business organization that has been recognized by the United Arab Emirates as one of the most successful companies with a reliable market (Usawa 11). It is known for its political and economic stability as it has recorded very low levels of crime while Saudi Arabia’s economy is unstable due to the many external factors that include: wars, oil disputes and political interferences. The country has huge debts that are yet to be paid off hence dragging behind its economy. Dubal has got proficient workers and makes use of sophisticated technology to produce quality goods and services as opposed to Arabia where they mostly deploy cheap manual labour and the technology they use does no produce quality services. Dubal has a very wide trade network that has attracted many investors as compared to Arabia whose trade network is limited to a few investors.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your f irst paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite the differences, both economies are open to foreign investors and are geared towards upgrading their systems, infrastructures and communication channels so as to maximize their output and increase their productivity. Some of the major challenges that Dubal may have to face when opening up a branch in Arabia include: trade restrictions that may limit its level of investment in the country, a slow growth rate in the economy, inadequate skilled labour , economic and politic instability and also cultural differences. On the other hand, they can easily outshine other firms due to their proficiency and high technology and hence be in total control of the market. Leroux, Marcel. Factors Influencing the Market Economy. New York: Springer, 2005. Print. Usawa, Shinto. Economic Growth and Stabilization. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2003. Print.

Neo-liberalism and Keynesianism essays

Neo-liberalism and Keynesianism essays It is often quipped that economists base many of their theories on assumptions. The old joke is that should an economist be stranded on a desert island, he will merely assume that a boat is available and quickly depart from the island. Indeed, whilst analytically comparing Keynesian and neo-liberal economics, it seems that economists assume that every person that peruses their journal articles has an extensive and exhaustive knowledge of macroeconomics. Thus, the danger for an enquiry such as this to degenerate into a fruitless analysis of finer points in economic theory can become apparent. For that reason, these two economic theories will be examined and analysed in the broadest possible terms. The work of the British economist, John Maynard Keynes, provides the basis for the Keynesian system. During the early 1920s and 1930s, there was widespread unemployment in Britain, the causes of which were extensively debated and analysed . Having attended the Paris Conference at the end of World War I as the principal representative of the British Treasury and deputy for the chancellor of the Exchequer on the Supreme Economic Council, Keynes was a prominent figure in this debate . Following the Great Depression in 1929, unemployment levels across the globe rocketed, with US unemployment reaching 26% in 1932 . In his book, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, Keynes postulated his theory regarding the relationship between high unemployment and the deficiency in aggregate demand . Aggregate demand is the total demand for all goods and services by all buying sectors within an economy . Essentially, Keynes argued that the unemployment apparent in the United States and Britain arose as a result of a deficiency in aggregate demand, which was low because of inadequate demand for investment . In order to remedy this situation, Keynes suggested that government spending was the answer . The logic behind this is reasonably simpl...

Canadian troops must not be in Afghanistan Essay

Canadian troops must not be in Afghanistan - Essay Example The other nations which have been involved in active fighting in Afghanistan are U.S, Britain, Denmark and Netherlands. However recently it has been seen that the support for the Canadian forces deployment in Afghanistan has been criticized by many (Power 2008). A question has thus arose regarding its deployment as to if they should remain in Afghanistan or should they be withdrawn ? This essay would revolve around this question and give a probably answer regarding the deployment of the forces. Surveys in Canada shows that 47% of the Canadians want their forces to be withdrawn whereas only 17% of the total want the force to be engaged in active combat. Most importantly it can be seen that Canada has never been attacked by the Afghans in anyway. It is only because of Canada’s peace-making efforts that it has engaged the forces into a heavy combat against the Afghans. Moreover concerns have also raised as to if the deployment of the troops in Afghanistan would help in maintainin g the peace in Canada or not. Active involvement of troops in Afghanistan can rather attract the attention of the Taliban to attack the country which has been involved in ground attacks over them. Hence it can be said that the Canadian forces should immediately withdraw from Afghanistan. ... Above all the people of Afghanistan should also support the armed forces for their involvement in the affairs of the country but it has been found that most of the population there is against the involvement of foreign countries in the national affairs (Power 2008). The war waged on Afghanistan has bought no good to the whole society as it can be still seen that the terrorist attacks remain in the world. An example of the bombings in London can be cited as a proof that the war on terrorism has brought no fruit (BBC News 2005). In the war against Taliban it has been seen that many civilians in Afghanistan have also died and this can be cited as a great failure of the army. A report has shown that the Canadian forces are suffering the most in Afghanistan with regard to their proportion. Since 2006 the Canadian forces have lost 5.1% of their officers during the war. Most of the troops of Canada are deployed in a very sensitive area of Kandahar because of which they have to suffer from l osses. All these reasons together make up a strong proposal for which the Canadian troops should withdraw from Afghanistan (Jodi Lai 2010). It has been seen that the casualties of the Canadian force are increasing by every passing year and this should be taken into notice by the relevant authorities. Moreover the war waged of Afghanistan was apparently for the betterment of the people living there but it has been seen that the people are not content with the interference of foreign military in the region. Deploying the Canadian troops in the region just makes the issue deeper as the Taliban would notice their involvement in the war and attack their nation which has been thus far safe from these sort of attacks. Lastly the