Mixed martial arts vs Traditional Martial Arts Essay

Fighting and violence is one of the biggest problems in society today. MMA, to many people, is only promoting this as a value, instead of an issue. Another battle that this bloody sport is fighting is for its own legitimacy. There are plenty of other sports that have some fighting, but no one questions the legitimacy of sports such as ice-hockey, in which there is a fight at least once a game, or football (Frisht n. pag. ). MMA is also a relatively new and has also taken a large step from where it started, having been illegal in all 50 states shortly after its institutionalization (Ramirez n. ag. ). And even at that, UFC is the only nationally legal organization for MMA. Not only is it fighting for its authenticity as a sport, but it is fighting for recognition as a martial art and fighting style, as well. Some specialists and fighters argue that it is a martial art all its own. Others argue that it’s nothing more than a rip-off of the greatest martial arts that have come before it. Finally, other, more secular people rationally conclude that it cannot be considered a traditional martial art at all and is barely acceptable as a sport. But this also puts these people in the perfect position to be attacked by a very simply answered question: Why can’t MMA be considered a traditional martial art? To begin, one of the biggest differences between MMA and traditional martial arts is the purpose for which they were developed. MMA, for example, was developed as nothing more than a style for cage-match entertainment. Traditional martial arts, however, were developed for a variety of different reasons, mainly self-defense. For instance, Jiu-Jitsu and Ninjitsu both derive from ancient Japan as a means for the people to defend themselves against the Samurai (Browning n. pag. ). Similarly, Tang Soo Do was developed in Okinawa and Southern Korea under ancient Japanese influence (Yi n. pag. ). Not only is the purpose of MMA something that sets it apart, it is a difference that sets the stage for several other staggering differences. To continue, purpose is intertwined with origins. Many traditional martial arts come out of the ancient oriental regions as means of self-defense due to the areas unsafe and sometimes unstable societal environment. Thugs, brutal imperial fighter, and common bandits all posed a threat to civilians and those who didn’t particularly fancy their emperors, such as the Okinawan farmers under the oppression of the imperial Japanese samurai (Frisht n. pag. ). A handful of traditional martial arts even boast origins in Brazil, such as the Brazilian variants of Jiu-Jitsu. MMA, however, comes out of America and Europe as a means of entertainment (Greene n. pag. ). Next, Style is the biggest difference between traditional martial arts and MMA. Traditional martial arts are very focused on detaining or incapacitating an attacker. Many traditional martial arts accomplish this by utilizing non-lethal locks and strikes. Traditional martial arts are also guided by morality and law. When faced with non-lethal force, only non-lethal force is permitted in return. When faced with a serious, but non-life-threatening situation, only an equal amount of lethality is permitted. MMA, on the other hand, is much more brutal and borderline senseless (Greene n. pag. ). Also, where traditional Martial Arts would seek to just incapacitate using locks, MMA seeks to go above and beyond the required force, relying on strength where traditionalists would’ve chosen technique. When, relying on strength as a sole asset in combat, as described by Master Bob Cameron, a fighter’s combat variables become very dependent on their opponent. If their opponent is stronger and strength is the only strategy they hold as an asset, loss is pre-determined. Technique, however, allows one’s variables to be much more independent of their opponent’s. Using technique over strength allows a martial artist to apply their whole body to ascertain one goal; it allows a fighter to turn their opponent’s own strength against them, using it in their favor (Cameron n. pag. ). At last, the final reason MMA cannot be considered a traditional martial art is its training style. MMA takes a very solo approach to training, as it is a solo sport. A lot of its training is based on punching, kicking, and striking an inanimate target. Martial arts, traditionally, however is trained in a group. This allows a martial artist to test, study, apply, and perfect a technique on another martial artist, which drastically affects and differs the applicability and effectiveness of the two styles. In a real-world scenario, MMA is not very realistic, due to its brutality and aggressiveness. Traditional martial arts, however, allow an artist to realistically and safely incapacitate an attacker (Greene n. pag. ). The realistic training styles of traditional martial arts allow it to be much more effective in combat. To conclude, MMA and traditional martial arts have more distinguishing differences than are calculable, the most distinguishing being purpose, origin, fighting and training styles, and applicability. Although, many take their side, those who argue that MMA is a traditional martial art are fighting an uphill battle in a mudslide due to their scarce and obvious lack of support. The differences between the two create a gorge miles wide with no bridge that may never have been meant to have been crossed. Furthermore, these staggering differences clearly prove that MMA cannot be considered a traditional martial art.

Literature Review of Strategic Management

This review provides an overview of a few of the key topics that have defined the strategic management field since the later twentieth century. Strategic planning, strategic planning frameworks and strategy implementation issues are discussed both from a historical and modern perspective. Michael Porter's frameworks and generic strategy provide an excellent backdrop for formulation of strategy but scholars argue that the current environment of business may require new or altered frameworks.A blended strategy of differentiation plus cost leadership may be possible within the new technology platforms afforded via e-commerce. Mega sized corporations nearing 500 billion in revenue are redefining the rules of strategy and using their massive scope and scale in new and unique ways. Regulation, diversity and shared value are important to consider in developing strategy and can contribute to differentiation if properly managed. Strategy implementation is an area where further research is nee ded and special attention needs to be focused on the internet and mega corporations as they seem to defy all historical strategy guidance.Keywords: Strategic management, strategy implementation, Michael Porter Introduction The single most important intellectual asset in any company outside of its employees is its strategy. Leaders are defined by the strategies they create and execute. Poorly designed strategy can be devastating to firms and many years of hard work can disintegrate when strategic plans are not properly implemented. Developing consistency in strategy is very important to proper implementation of the core elements. Ultimately the strategy must become centrally integrated and externally oriented in order to define how the business will achieve its objectives.One of the most common reasons for firm bankruptcy is improper implementation of strategy (Hosiery, Chambermaids, Onerous, & Saudi, 2013). Strategy is largely defined by adaptation to a constantly changing marketpla ce which seems to get more and more complex. True strategy is about making complex bets and following up with hard choices (Martin, 2014). Historically stable markets allowed managers to rely on complex strategies that were built on future predictions (Eisenhower & Sulk, 2001). But in the current fast moving marketplace and with the rise of the millennial billionaires, opportunity seizure may require a different approach.The review contained herein will take a shallow dive into a few of the endless strategic management models along with the challenges and typical faults with implementation. The e-commerce world and mega sized corporations will be explored as they present special challenges to strategy makers. The internet seems to defy many of the historical perspectives on business strategy. Diversity and regulation are highlighted as these issues stand out in the literature as being an ongoing consideration for strategy makers.A special focus is on the perspectives of Michael Port er both historically and in the present. Countless reviewers have dissected and applied Porter's academic work. Many arguments have been made both for and against Porter's frameworks held up against a modern business landscape. This paper will serve to challenge Porter's generic strategies and the applicability in today's business world. Managers can learn much from Porter, but to survive in the age of millennial billionaires, leaders may need to develop new frameworks.And those who do will have a good chance at building a firm foundation for responding to competition and reacting to market opportunities in a fast moving global economy. Strategic Management Overview The word strategy is often improperly used by managers as an industry buzzword in hopes of gaining credibility for their management priorities. This often results in confusion and can undermine the credibility of the leader. The word strategy is derived from the Greek strategist, which means the art of the general. The b usiness general must form a coherent strategy which is the sum of the parts of the organization.If this is not accomplished then mid level managers will focus time on their own priorities and the organization will risk fragmentation (Humpback & Frederickson, 2005). The origin of the subject of strategic management is heavily abated but H. Igor Anions is commonly noted as having significant influence in the field prior to Michael Porter whom took center stage in the asses (Martinet, 2010). Insofar bestselling book titled Corporate Strategy was published in 1965 and started to transition the mindset from strategic planning to strategic management.Much of the current understanding of strategic management can be traced back to Porter's (1985) low cost, differentiation, focus framework. His concepts marked a key transition point in the strategic management field by integrating organization specific factors into a model of firm performance (Apparel, 2006). According to Porter's generic st rategy, a firm can maximize performance by either being a low cost producer or differentiating its products or services from other businesses. Either of these strategies can be accomplished by focusing the organizations efforts on a segment of the market.Porter believes that businesses that attempt to employ both strategies simultaneously will end up â€Å"stuck in the middle† and will not be successful. This issue is hotly debated in the literature and especially as related to e-commerce. Internet firms seem to be employing strategies that exhibit one of more firms of differentiation in unison. Despite all the debate, Porter is widely cited in the literature and is highly respected by both supporters and critics alike whom all consider him to be a significant contributor to the field of strategic management.Nag, Humpback, and Chem. (2007) contended that the field of strategic management is lacking an identity. The researchers conducted an exhaustive large scale survey of aca demics in the field and came up with the following definition for strategic management. â€Å"The field of strategic management deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments. † (p. 944).The interface with the external environment, also known as the customer and the community, is a central dogma of the strategic planning process and we will see this theme emerge throughout the literature review. Strategic Planning Strategic planning is normally the first step in the strategic management process and is critical to the success of an organization. Strategic plans normally have three parts (Martin, 2014). The first is the mission or mission statement that sets the long term owls. The second is a listing of the initiatives that the organization will carry out as part of its fulfillment of the goal.And third is the financial i mpact of the initiatives. Martin (2014) recommends three rules for strategic planning to prevent from falling into the trap of focusing on internal metrics and not the external customer. Rule one is to keep the strategy simple by focusing on what will attract customers. Eisenhower and Sulk (2001) contend that to survive in a complicated high velocity market space, managers should choose simple rules over complicated plans. The simple rules will low the managers to move quickly in order to capture opportunities more quickly.Customers will spend their money with the company that has the superior value proposition. Martin (2014) rule two is strategies do not have to be perfect. There should be some risk in the strategy and boards should not prevent management from taking risks in setting strategy. This actually weakens the strategy. And the final rule is to test the logic of your thinking. Write down the desired outcome when setting strategy. The logic should be compared to real life e vents in order to identify areas of improvement along the way.Despite the criticality of strategic management to an organization's success, a McKinney survey found that most executives are not happy with their strategic planning process (Dye, 2006). And companies that have formal strategic planning processes have the highest level of satisfaction with corporate strategy development. Selene (2009) broke strategic management into four different schools including the classical school, the environmental school, the competitive school, and the contemporary school.The classical school is based on the research contributions of the mid twentieth century and is centered on the fit between internal and external actors. Classical management assumes that internal and external factors have an equal fit. The SOOT analysis is a common model used to assess the classical business environment. The environmental school contends that the external environment plays the most important role in strategy de velopment. And firms that do not respond well to the external environment will eventually die out. The competitive school of strategy is distinguished by competition being the driving force in differentiation.Porter (1980) noted that the firm must acknowledge and respond to the external opportunities and threats to survive. The contemporary school souses on understanding the internal firm. Collaboration and differentiation are important to winning with a contemporary strategy. Multicast (2009) provides an interesting perspective on strategic management and its relationship to time. Strategic planning is most often thought of in terms of planning for the long term future of the firm. The author encourages management to also consider history, the present, and the near future in making strategic planning decisions.When new management enters a firm, history is often seen as a negative since historical perspectives are sometimes viewed as a hindrance to instituting hanged. But in reality , history can be an asset to strategic planners. For example, if the company has a culture of continuous improvement, good employee loyalty and commitment, and good learning ability, then this is a sustainable competitive advantage that should be retained. If new management is not aware of the firm's culture then they may make decisions like terminating senior employees therefore damaging the firms culture and competitiveness.Passage of time can also be a weakness if management has become complacent and they are not questioning the way their firm operates or making suggestions for efficiency gains. Improving the learning capabilities of the firm can help prevent previous strengths from turning into weaknesses. Generic Strategies According to Porter (1980), differentiation, cost leadership, focus, or a combination of differentiation and cost leadership are the keys to maintaining a competitive advantage. These are known as Porter's generic strategies and are still relevant in busines s today.The below sections will explore some of the applications of Porter's generic strategies. This section also addresses a blended cost leadership/ differentiation strategy model which has emerged in the literature largely as a result f the success of companies that have seen success using the internet as the primary customer interface. Differentiation. Differentiation or value is defined by having a product or service that is differentiated from the competitor on some stand alone merit. Firms that employ differentiation typically can charge a premium for their product or service.The consumer typically sees a superior value in the product or service, whether perceived or real, and is willing to pay a premium. Akin, Allen, Helms, and Sprawls (2006) discovered three tactics that were most commonly employed in differentiation strategy. These included innovative marketing technology or tactics, a culture of creativity and innovation, and an emphasis on having a significant market sh are. Marketing research had found that it is eight to ten times more expensive to market to new customers than to existing customers (Akin et al. 006). Organizations must have insight into the future in order to manage and drive profitability and this should be a key component of the strategic planning process. This can only be accomplished by developing a culture of innovation. Unfortunately the tactics needed to create a culture of innovation are not ell understood and documented in the literature. Many firms seem to be out of touch with the external environment in which they operate. Kim, Name, and Stripers (2004) evaluated differentiation within the context of e-commerce.Due to the low costs on switching sources via the internet, it is more important that internet companies learn how to differentiate. Differentiation based on distribution is a key area of focus for internet firms. Speed of delivery, online interface, security, and order tracking are all ways that internet firms are differentiating themselves. There re numerous studies that show that internet shoppers are less sensitive to price when the product or service is coupled with information or services. Olio and Fay (2012) noted that innovation is only possible with a good strategy.Firms should avoid copying other company's ideas. And instead develop innovation that is relevant to the needs you are trying to serve. Jumping on trends is not always a bad idea as long as it is tailored to your strategy. The firm's core value proposition should have stability. Successful companies rarely have to go through major changes since they re constantly updating their processes, offerings, and methods. Industry structure is dynamic and structural change is very slow. Having a good understanding of industry stricture will help to identify new strategic opportunities.Multicast (2009) discussed differentiation as a crucial component of understanding competitiveness. Differential value is an important component of competitiveness and can be created in a number of ways including reliability, product features, quality attributes, and aesthetics. In addition to having differentiating factors, the product will also need to overcome the â€Å"hurdle factors. These are the characteristics that the customer expects the products to have and are a limiting factor in the initial product selection. Differentiating factors without â€Å"hurdle factors† will not position the product or service competitively.Perception is important since it is important to understanding the customer perspective since it may be different than the firms perspective. If the customer does not have a need for a differentiating characteristic of the products than those characteristics will potentially add manufacturing cost without adding value to the customer. Cost Leadership. Cost leadership requires a accompanied mindset to operate at the lowest cost possible. The company must be willing to walk away from opportuniti es where they cannot be a cost leader and must choose outsourcing partners whom will provide cost leadership.All company operations and marketing must be centered on cost leadership. Tactics employed include mass production and distribution, vertical integration, lower input cost from raw materials, and technology. The tactic that has proven to be most beneficial to cost reduction strategy is to lower distribution costs (Akin, Allen, Helms, & Sprawls, 2006). One way hat retailers have accomplished this is through cross docking or shipping direct from manufacturer to retailer without storing in warehouses. Wall-Mart is largely credited with developing cross-docking strategy and this has been widely adopted and refined by retailers since the asses.The internet has been a hotbed for companies trying to implement cost leadership strategy. Kim et al. (2004) studied this issue and reported that most online shoppers are using price as their most important buying criteria. The internet prov ides a format for retailers to quickly access a large volume of customers through a price leadership strategy. Porter (2001) argued that the internet is a very difficult environment in which to differentiate one's firm since they lack many of the physical attributes of brick and mortar firms like sales people.In general, most online only brands have not been very successful at brand building and have developed only modest customer loyalty(Papua & Upon, 2000). Kim et al. (2004) recommend that companies avoid cost leadership for internet firms. And instead they recommend using a blended strategy that includes elements of cost leadership as well as differentiation. Porter's cost leadership framework is often misinterpreted by managers. Competitive advantage for example has come to mean anything that the organization deems as noteworthy. Porter was very specific in defining competitive advantage as price advantage versus rivals.The price may be low or high depending on the choices made in the value chain. These choices shift relative cost or relative price to the advantage. This ultimately leads to sustainable performance (Olio & Fay, 2012). Price competition is more about developing a value chain than it is about low prices. This value chain should be differentiated and not easily reproduced by competition. When companies imitate each other's reduces and value chain then price becomes the only dimension that customers utilize. This results in a very destructive environment.Competition should be thought of more in terms of profits rather than competing to win. Competitors are competing to capture the value an industry creates. The value is being captured by customers, suppliers, rivals, potential new rivals, and producers of replacements. Creating economic value results in sustained profitability by using resources effectively to meet customer needs. Focus Strategy. Focus strategy is when firms decide to focus on a specific segment of the market. The company may f ocus on specific customer demographic, product range, or service line.Often the focus strategy is used to grab market share that may have been overlooked or is not large enough for larger competitors. The segment must have good growth potential but be small enough to not be of great importance to competitors. Firms may utilize focus strategy as a standalone or they may bundle low cost with focus strategy. Common tactics that are employed in low cost/focus strategy include providing outstanding customer service, improving operational efficiency, quality control of products, and extensive training of front line sales and technical personnel(Akin, Allen, Helms, & Sprawls, 2006).The key to success with low cost/focus strategy is to reduce cost by creating a happy customer. Customer complaints and a failure to meet customer expectations result in higher costs through corrective actions. Low cost/focus firms must be masters of preventative action and create quality procedures that drive c ustomer satisfaction through consistently meeting customer expectations. Customer service is typically the first point of a customer engagement and can be an important component in standardizing procedures and preventing problems.If services are done right the first time the firm will save a significant amount of costly managerial time in solving problems in the future. Men's Warehouse is an example of where price and focus strategy and successfully employed. The store offers a lower priced high quality suit when compared to larger retailers, and they couple this with a high level of customer service and on site services such as tailoring. Kim et al. (2004) note that focus strategy can be very effective with online commerce. The internet allows companies to customize their products and offerings to meet the pacific wants and needs of a select group of customers.Customers see value in being directed to the specialty retailer on the internet and will pay a premium for the products or services. The internet has the ability to service both broad markets and very niche markets. Consumers have instant access to price information and product information. Internet retailers would be wise to consider focus or focus/ differentiation strategy as their primary strategic development platform. Focus/ Differentiation Strategy. Firms may also employ a focus/differentiation strategy when he firm has a unique quality focused product aimed toward a specific market segment.Common tactics employed by these firms include the production of specialty products and producing products for higher priced market segments (Akin, Allen, Helms, & Sprawls, 2006). Specialty retailers like Pier 1 accomplished the first tactic by focusing on unique high quality specialty products. These are often times imported goods that have a unique differentiator. The second tactic is employed by luxury car companies like Cadillac that can only afforded by the highest income segment of the population. Blended Strategy.An integrated strategy of price leadership and differentiation was strongly opposed by Porter (1980). He argued that these two generic strategies are fundamentally contradictory and that any firm attempting to fluctuate between the two would fail to realize the full potential of their performance. On one extreme, cost leadership requires standardization and building low cost in the value chain. One the other extreme is differentiation which almost always drives up marketing and production costs. But there is a large proportion of the literature which challenges Porter on this issue (Kim et al. 004). Most scholars agree that Porter's incompatibility argument will hold up in a stable business environment, but in the rapidly changing competitive environment that reflects the modern business world, a flexible combination of multiple strategies may be required. The internet is especially challenging in that it can disassemble traditional value chains. For example, several onlin e companies are successfully employing a diversified business strategy such as Amazon and Backbone. This issue will be discussed in more detail later in this literature review. Strategic Management FrameworksThe multitude and complexity of issues facing organizations has resulted in a wide variety of strategic management frameworks that are referenced in the literature. Each model attempts to organize issues in a way that makes management decision making more comprehensible. With each framework comes a myriad of academic scholars that have created, critiqued, or built the frameworks in positive ways. This literature review will cover two well known strategic management frameworks, SOOT and Porter's five forces. In SOOT analysis, internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats are considered.Some of the most widely referenced frameworks in the literature are credited to Michael Porter. The framework that will be reviewed in this section is Porter's fiv e forces. SOOT The originator of SOOT is somewhat unclear from the literature but it was first described by Learned, Christiansen, Andrews, and Gust (1969). SOOT is often the first tool of choice for decision makers assessing alternatives and complex decisions. The use of SOOT to group external and internal business issues is a logical starting point for most management decisions.Helms and Nixon (2010) provide a more cent analysis of SOOT as a strategic planning tool and some of the limitations. SOOT is commonly used in academia and business largely due the simplicity of SOOT as well as its catchy well known name. The literature reveals that SOOT is most commonly used for business strategic planning both for individual organizations as well as for comparing two or more companies. SOOT analysis consists of examination of internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats.The analysis can be quickly constructed and multiple viewpoints can be combined to pe rform a brainstorming exercise Helms et al, 2010). Internal strengths and weaknesses may include branding, organization structure, access to raw materials or natural resources, production capacity, or capital for investment. External opportunities and threats could include customers, rivals, market trends, contractors, vendors, or technology. Various environmental, political, and regulatory issues are often examined as well. The literature revealed that SOOT was the most commonly utilized strategic management tool well into the late nineties.After the year 2000, the literature is conflicted as to he value of SOOT although there are multiple researchers both for and against (Evans and Wright, 2000). Sherman, Rowley, and Armband' (2007) added steps to SOOT and came up with a seven step strategic management process to assist firms in the pre planning stages. Many researchers have coupled SOOT with various mathematical models to give it a quantitative basis versus qualitative. Most supp orters of SOOT admit that it should be combined with other strategic management tools like Porter's five forces and not used in isolation.But as with any strategic management tool, SOOT is only as good as the experts whom use it. Its greatest weakness is probably that it is a snapshot of time. The business environment is constantly changing and firms will need to constantly scan the environment and update their SOOT analysis (Helms et al. , 2010). In the next section we will explore another widely used strategic management model developed by Michael Porter. Porter's Five Forces Porter is most well known for the association of competition with the firm and its external environment.Porter felt that corporate strategy should meet the threats and opportunities in the external environment Ellen, 2009). Porter identified five nominative forces that he claims are the key to shaping every industry and every market (Porter, 1980). By studying and understanding these forces, a firm should be able to determine the level of competition and therefore the attractiveness and potential profitability of a market. Porter's five forces analysis framework is primarily used for industry level analysis Ellen, 2009). Five forces were first discussed by Porter in his publication titled Competitive Strategy (Porter, 1980).The five forces are threats from competitors, buyer power, supplier power, threat of new entrants, and alternative products. The strength of these collective forces decides the amount of profit potential available to rivals in an industry. Unfortunately the literature reveals that the application of the five forces may not be straight forward and even Porter (2008) has been disappointed with its misapplication. Five forces analysis should not only be used to determine if an industry is attractive or not, but it should be a primary tool to unravel the complexity of competition and improve performance (Olio & Fay, 2012).Dobbs (2014) discusses some of the challenges tha t are faced by managers when they attempt to apply the five forces. These include a lack of depth, lack of structured analysis, lack of strategic insight, and millennial generation preferences. Many people use the five forces analysis in a superficial way and this leads to inaccurate and incomplete analysis. This may largely be due the lack of in depth study given to MBA students. The lack of quantitative measures in the five forces framework may be a limiting factor in many cases. Most applications of five forces consist of lists which make poor substitutes for in depth analysis.Olio and Fay noted that five forces analysis should not only be used to determine if an industry is attractive or not, but it should be a primary tool to unravel the complexity of competition and improve performance. With the rise of the millennial generation in 2010, Dobbs (2014) noted that the five forces framework must be modified in order to accommodate the technology vigor and analysis preferred by thi s generation. Akin, Allen, Helms, and Sprawls (2006) contend that the literature is missing information on the tactics that are needed in order to implement Porter's strategies.Several researchers have proposed models to be used to better apply the five forces. In Akin et al. s (2006) study, the authors researched over 200 companies to develop a set of key tactics that could be used to implement Porter's generic strategies and drive organization performance. Dobbs (2014) provides a practical template that provides good comprehension and ease of use. The models have proved very beneficial in the classroom setting in terms of driving higher levels of strategic insight and industry analysis.Diversity and Shared Value Building market share can also be influenced by diversification in the workforce and acknowledgement of a preference for products that are made and sold by companies with similar cultural heritage. This is largely due to the diversification of the customer base which cross es many borders, cultures, and ethnic groups. Hiring a diverse workforce and drawing in a culturally diverse customer base is critical to success. This group of consumers is growing at a much faster rate than the rest of the US population.The US welcomes nearly one million new immigrants into the country every year. These people come from different backgrounds, nationalities and ethnicities and they are learning how to work in an unfamiliar culture. Ramifies (2010) reported that the challenges are immense for immigrants as they try and maintain a nation connection to their home country as well as try and adapt to their host country. The pressure that results drives individuals to be more inventive and productive. The force is very powerful and one of the reasons why immigrants do so well in start up businesses in the US.They develop a comfort level with uncertainty and risk that allows them to drive performance. Despite the advantages of diversity most companies fall short on divers ity thought and leadership. In fact, half of companies operating in 25 countries or more, reported only having one or two foreign nationals on their boards. Yet they cited global experience as one of the most important factors in terms of selecting board members. Managers that understand and take advantage of diversity into their strategy will have a distinct competitive advantage.Developing a global company that appeals to a global customer is extremely important in developing strategy. In work done by Watson and Wright (2000), the authors looked into the country of origin effect. This â€Å"made in† concept has to do with the attitudes and buying behaviors of consumers for foreign made goods. This is also known as ethnocentrism. Research has proved that the â€Å"made in† concept has as a very strong influence on buying behaviors. These behaviors can override other more practical factors such as brand name, quality, or price.A tactic that is commonly employed is to m arket the country of origin information with the product. For example, a Chinese American may have a preference for Chinese manufactured products over US manufacturing products. Shared Value Porter and Kramer (2011) discuss the concept of the shared value which focuses on improving the connections between society, the economy as well as corporate growth and profitability. The economic collapse of the last decade contributed to frustration with corporations as companies in the banking sector were largely blamed for causing the failed economy though risky lending practices.Firms have begun to realize that social harms and weaknesses frequently create internal costs for the firm in wasted energy costs and costly accidents. As a result many large firms have begun to embrace the concept of shared value and have started to see some rewards in terms of public opinion and profitability. Companies and their communities are intertwined since companies need the consumers and the raw trials fro m their communities, while the people in the communities need the wages and opportunity offered by the firm.This interdependence or shared value has the potential to unlock the next wave of growth and innovation for companies if incorporated into their strategic plans. Regulation and the Porter Hypothesis No review of strategic management would be complete without a discussion on the impact of regulation on business. Regulation has become an increasing concern for business leaders as they develop strategy and decide on how best to allocate resources. There are also political implications since government regulators have the power to influence market dynamics between rivals as well as between countries.Generally economists, politicians, and business leaders see increasing regulation as an economic challenge which erodes global competitiveness. But Porter (1991) argued that well designed regulation could be a competitive advantage if properly managed. This concept is frequently refere nced in the literature as the Porter Hypothesis. Researchers frequently use the Porter Hypothesis to help understand the links between regulation, competitiveness, and innovation. Porter (1991) andClass van deer Lined (Porter & van deer Lined,AAA) argued that pollution was an example of wasted resources and that by reducing pollution, productivity could be improved. They felt that properly designed environmental regulation would help drive innovation and would more than offset the additional cost of implementing regulation. Porter brought these concepts to mainstream businesses and policy and has revolutionized how strategic management deals with the impact of environmental or other regulation. Porter et al (AAA) explained five reasons why they thought innovation offsets any negatives created by regulation.

To What Extent Does Personality Predict Employee Performance Essay

To What Extent Does Personality Predict Employee Performance - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the identification of the potentials of employees to respond to the demands of their role can be characterized as one of the most critical challenges for managers in modern organizations. Moreover, it has been proved that employee performance can be depended on various factors; securing high employee performance can be a difficult task even for highly experienced HR managers. The literature developed in regard to this subject verifies the intervention of personality in the prediction of employee performance. However, the terms of involvement of personality in the prediction of employee performance are not standardized, being influenced by the organizational environment and the psychological characteristics of individuals, as analyzed below. In any case, the value of personality as a means for predicting the performance of individuals in the workplace cannot be doubted. In fact, the research developed in this field proved that personali ty is a strong indicator of an individual’s behavior in all aspects of his daily life, no matter his economic or social status. In regard to the above, the following issue should be also explored: is the prediction of employee performance using personality fully accurate or not and how the relevant risks can be limited? Personality, as a concept, refers to various aspects of human behavior. In practice, it has been proved that the personality characteristics, or else traits, of individuals, are likely to be incorporated into five, major, categories. The relevant model of personality is known as the ‘Five Factor model’. The categories of the particular model are presented in the paper. Different explanations have been given in the literature in regard to the involvement of personality in employee performance. The Big Five model, as presented above, can be used for measuring employee performance, both in regard to specific individuals and in regard to groups. In th e last case, the personality characteristics/ traits of each group’s individuals would be ‘gathered and evaluated as a total for identifying the group’s performance’.

Research in Motion Company Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research in Motion Company Analysis - Assignment Example MICRO ANALYSIS a) Demand Factors: The factors that affect the demand for Blackberry greatly vary from country to country since the customer’s preferences and their association with certain brands change based on their perception. According to the study, the share of RIMs worldwide sales of smartphones declined to 14 percent in the period last quarter of 2011 compared to last quarter sales of 20 percent for the same period. On the other hand, Apple’s share remained stable at 16 percent while Android was able to drastically lift its sales almost threefold to about 33 percent. (Miller, 2011) This was mainly due to the fact that the demand for Blackberry devices fell sharply during the last year owing to the success of its competitors. The unprecedented success of Samsung Galaxy S2 coupled by the low prices other Android phones were available in the market; Blackberry’s sales were badly dented. Therefore, the competitors’ factor played a crucial and a signific ant role in determining the demand for Blackberry devices. ... uth shift to smartphone devices, the competition will only toughen and with new and cheap competitors emerging from all parts of the world such as ZTE and Huawei from China, Blackberry will have to rethink its strategy to sell high-end phones to elites since now even the middle class wants to buy such phones. Although, the distinctive feature of Blackberry that resulted in high demands initially namely the BBM service has now been overcome by software’s like Whatsapp and Viber which offer similar services free of charge. Moreover, among the customers who were interviewed to inquire about their preference for buying a new phone in the next 90 days, only 6 percent stated their inclination towards Blackberry devices. Their main comment was that Blackberry has lost its competitive edge both in its shape and appeal. They complained that the bulkiness of the set and the loss of its distinctive feature have contributed to this disliking in the recent past. (Evan, 2010) a) Supply Fact ors: In comparison to this, the supply of Blackberry devices has increased in the past year since the analysts predicted future growth. Factors affecting supply are the demand itself and the price of the device. Other important factors include the technology and raw materials. Materials required for such a device are very unique and expensive, for example, cameras, LCD screen and processors. Therefore, being a company located in Canada, it has generally good access to the most essential raw materials although at times it has to import these materials from other manufacturers who have firm control over these resources in various parts of the world. Blackberry also holds an advantage since RIM is the sole manufacturer of its devices, therefore, they pay special attention to its hardware and the

The Ways in Which Strategy Implementation Can Be Achieved Assignment - 2

The Ways in Which Strategy Implementation Can Be Achieved - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that strategic planning for the medium and long-term objectives of a company is a key way to achieve the overall goals of an organization. Medium term strategies aim to provide long-term solutions to the problems of an organization, while long-term strategies aim to provide permanent solutions to the problems. There are five types of market entry strategies that can be used by organizations namely organic growth, mergers or acquisitions, franchising, licensing and strategic alliances. Acquisitions are likely to occur when an organization wants to increase its market share in any new market. Mergers are more likely to occur when companies have comparable financial capital and resources. Franchising is more likely to occur when a particular organization wants to create a positive brand image in the minds of the consumers by providing them with the products and services of the company. Licensing is more likely to occur when an organization wan ts to enter a country in a quick manner to deal with legal issues relating to trade barriers. Organic entry is a form of entry where the profits from the existing business are used to channel growth into new activities. Substantive growth strategies are related to vertical and horizontal integration. Vertical integration is related to increasing the ownership of the value chain to take better control over marketing operations. Horizontal integration is, on the other hand, related to the collaboration between two similar companies which belongs to the same stage of production. This type of an arrangement helps in closing down of less efficient units by taking advantage of economies of scale.The limited growth strategy has four major components namely market penetration, product development, market development, and innovation.

Pest analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pest analysis - Essay Example BP’s industry areas are vast; spanning to include Oil and gas exploration and production, refining, marketing and supply of petroleum products, manufacturing and marketing of Chemicals, Gas & Power generation and the manufacture of Photovoltaic (solar) cells (Corporate Watch 2008). Like any other international business, BP has its own strengths and weaknesses and can trace its achievements and failures to certain political, economic, social and technological factors. This report seeks to delve into the PEST analysis of the company; based on which a reflection of where the company is coming and its direction for the future shall be outlined. Method for growth and Reasons for choosing the method Seen as â€Å"one of the barometer companies of the British economy† (Corporate Watch 2008), facts and figures available from the company’s website indicates that as at the close of 2009, the company’s sales and other operating revenues excluding customs, duties and sales taxes stood at $239 billion. With a total of 16 refineries across the world, the company employed 80,300 as at 31 December 2009. With this, the replacement cost profit for the company over the same period 2009 was $14.0 billion (BP, 2010). BP’s key method that has seen the company through its rapid growth rate is the concentration on its present capital territories rather than starting new ventures and investments. For instance having 62% working interest in the Tiber prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, the company keeps â€Å"investing extensively in deepwater exploration and development, and through an aggressive entry into onshore natural gas† (Fox, 2010) of which its greatest concentration is the Tiber prospect is. The reason why the company has chosen this method can be justified by the global economic meltdown that was experienced the world-around. With the economic crunch, it was almost unwise to start anything new when one had old ventured to grow. PEST Analy sis Current position of the company BP’s current position in the today’s economic climate is best illustrated by its annual reporting for the year ending 31 December 2010. The report touches on all three business segments of BP which are â€Å"Exploration and Production, Refining and Marketing and Gas, Power and Renewable.† (Aruvian’s Research, 2008). According to the report, the company’s total asset for year ending 2010 was $272,262m as compared too $235,968m for year ending 2009. With liabilities, the company’s total liability for year ending 2010 was $176,371m as against $133,855m for year ending 1999. This brings the net asset as of 31 December 2010 to $95,891m as against $102,113m for 2009 (BP Summary Review, 2010, p. 21). With regards to group cash flow, the cash and cash equivalent for end of year 2010 was $18,556m as against $8339m for the same period 2009. Generally, the company did not perform impressively well in 2010, which is a good yardstick of the company’s present state as against 2009. With regards to replacement cost for instance, the company recorded a loss of 26.17 per ordinary share (BP Summary Review, 2010, p. 17). Reasons for this performance can be traced from the PEST analysis of the company below. Political BP’s three business spectrums are Exploration and Production, Refining and Marketing and Gas, Power and Renewable. Coincidentally, these are aspects of petrochemical trade that is undertaken by

As portrayed by Virgil, what was the basis of Roman success as an Essay

As portrayed by Virgil, what was the basis of Roman success as an imperial power - Essay Example This imperialism brought about extremes of wealth and poverty that widened the social and economic gap that existed in the state (Steele). The slaves that had been acquired during the warfare helped a great deal in transforming the country side as they provided manpower that made small farms to give way to large plantations. They worked in the plantations thus resulting to the agricultural improvements that resulted in the state. This consequently made the landless crofters to move to Rome and the neighboring cities (Steele). The nobles were noted to struggle for personal domination instead of honoring the collective rule. This wealth was further viewed as having corrupted the once noble leaders. Virgil then concluded that farming was the basis of Roman success as an imperial power. This is so because the territorial conquest had permitted land use reforms that results in agricultural surplus. This improved the overall economies throughout the province and across the provincial borders. At that time, their economic growth was greater than most of other economies before industrialization

Social policy and play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Social policy and play - Essay Example There are some games universally played by children. Hide and seek which develops inquisitive nature and curiosity in the minds of the children and Police-thief games which is about battle between good and evil are popular among children in different forms of the game. ‘Play’ goes a long way in cultivating good habits, manners and behaviors in a person. Perspectives of Childhood The perspective of childhood is viewed from futuristic angle, ignoring the conditions, needs and changes required from the current perspective. Lesser and Russell stated â€Å"There has been a rapid growth in policy initiatives relating to children and young people and this has been dominated by a perspective which sees children primarily in terms of their and the nation’s future and not in terms of their present lives.† Childhood should not be viewed merely as a ground for preparing them for adulthood. The society tries to intervene in the process with the understanding that the fr amework is set with reference to learning, good habits, behaviors and manners in socializing. Health consciousness is also considered in this framework. However, we need to treat that opportunity to play is ‘childhood right’ though there are the attendant benefits and adult hood is related to childhood. According to Lee (2) â€Å"Whatever differences there may be between adults and children, contemporary sociologies of childhood urge that children be treated equally, at least in terms of recognizing that children have views and perspectives of their own.† The aspect of empowerment to the children is another important perspective. According to Alexander (10) empowerment, â€Å"is what bridges children’s wellbeing, children’s primary education and children’s rights. Empowerment - underpinned, as our child witnesses insist, by equity, empathy and expertise - is an educational cause well worth fighting for.† Social Policy Relating to Child hood â€Å"Alcock (2003) proposes a definition of social policy which suggests that it comprises both academic discipline and also a form of social action.† (Shardlow (14) Children believe they have the talents and courage to become kings. This belief which remains unspoiled till adulthood made many college drop-out students to establish great business empires in history. On the other hand, the seeds of evil take deep roots in their minds due to child abuse or discrimination manifest as cheating, fraud and terrorism in later years.   Study by Henn et al (1160) â€Å"revealed profound differences in the likelihood of criminal convictions or incarcerations between socialized and under socialized delinquents. The socialized delinquents have less chance of being either convicted of a crime or being imprisoned.† Shaping up at 5 is easier than reshaping up at 50. According to Hallett and Prout (83) children have been accorded a central role, both in creation of modern soci ety and the autonomous individual and observed that the contemporary thinking and activities of the associations in child welfare confirm this trend. Play is an important part of children and youngsters. Sutton-Smith views ‘

The Rise of Vampires Essay Example for Free

The Rise of Vampires Essay Vampires have become prominent protagonists and antagonists in numerous books, poems, movies and television series. As such, their origin and basis have become quite vague. The rise of the concept of vampires is capable of many interpretations in various cultures and localities. However, this scattering of cultural roots only serves to promote the theory that vampires are real. This paper will show that vampirism is nothing more than a misunderstood medical condition manifesting in particular groups of persons. Moreover, vampirism has evolved to become simply a literary tool for creative writers and film makers. At the present time a vampire is typically characterized as a creature that feasts on the blood of humans (Barber, 6). Literature has adorned vampires with several other features other than the typical drinking of blood. From the different interpretations of authors it may be shown that a vampire was believed to have fangs, to be vulnerable to sunlight, and to be immortal (Bunson, 131). During the early descriptions of vampires they were also characterized as having purplish bruises on their skin or as having dark skin. In recent literary descriptions however the vampire has taken on a simple depiction as having pale white skin. The most popular depiction of a vampire is Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Dracula was portrayed as an antagonist in the story and he became quite feared because of his prowess in victimizing those whose blood he sought. In later years the vampire would also play the role of protagonist either fighting against its own kind, such as in the 1998 movie Blade. The vampire would also be pitted against other folklore creatures such as the werewolf, as in the 2003 movie Underworld or in the Stephenie Meyer saga Twilight. Despite the changes that vampires have undergone the literary creations have to be set aside to understand whether there is factual or historical basis to support the claims propounded. It was found that a Romanian prince, Vlad, had once used unusual methods of executing his enemies by having their heads chopped off and impaled on top of a long pole (Florescu, 148-149). The blood dripping down the pole would then be collected into goblets from which Vlad the Impaler would drink (Florescu, 149). He is said to have partly inspired the creation of the character Count Dracula. The Countess Dracula is far removed from Vlad the Impaler. Elizabeth Bathory was said to have participated in the killing of numerous virgins and women (McNally, 59). The killing of 600 women were imputed upon Bathory although she was only convicted for the killing of 80 (McNally, 59). Rumors as to her purpose for doing so grew and expanded to involve vampire-like attributions. Apart from the imputation of vampire evolution on such historic figures, vampirism has also been theorized to be related to the onset of porphyrias. This is an illness which manifests with purplish bruising on the skin and with heightened sensitivity to sunlight (Warren, Rohl, Hunt, 54). Because these symptoms were closely related and similar to the characterizations of early vampires, patients suffering from this illness were often subjected to suspicion, fear, and stigma. However, the associations between vampirism and porphyrias have been largely disqualified and greatly contested. The symptoms related to vampire characteristics are few and paint a limited picture of what porphyrias truly is. Vlad the Impaler was found to have suffered from this disease, showing why people may have established a connection between vampires and the disease. However, many historical figures were found to have suffered from the disease as well and the only attributable cause was the in-breeding practices of nobles in the old days. Porphyrias is a genetic disorder and so the probability of manifestation is increased when both parents have histories of the disease in their bloodline (McNally, 148). King George III is suspected of having suffered from this disease as evidenced by his actions evidencing delusion and insanity (Warren et al. , 294). This theory finds a stronger foothold in light of the lineage of King George III. Mary Queen of Scots, a direct ascendant of King George III was found to have had well documented attacks attributable to porphyrias, as did her father James V of Scotland (Warren et al. , 285). The above discussions show that vampirism is no more than a series of atrocities conducted by historical figures and related diseases associated with them. The misconstruing of the relations between the atrocities and diseases have led to the evolution of a mythical creature known as the vampire. However, despite the historical bases, there is no evidence to show that the vampire of lore exists or ever existed. The incontrovertible conclusion is that vampires are mere character tools in literature and filmmaking injecting mystery into a setting similar to our own surroundings. Works Cited Barber, Paul. Vampires, Burial and Death: Folklore and Reality. New York: Yale University Press, 1988. Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia. London: Thames Hudson, 1993. Florescu, Radu R. , and McNally, Raymond T. In Search of Dracula. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1994. McNally, Raymond T. Dracula Was a Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York: McGraw Hill, 1983. Warren, Martin, Rohl, John C. G. , and Hunt, David C. Purple secret: genes, madness and the Royal houses of Europe. London: Bantam, 1998.

The Life of the Mango Tree Essay Example for Free

The Life of the Mango Tree Essay * Johnson was an Englishman who came to Trinidad to visited Franklin on a coco estate * Johnson was very interested in local folklore * Sam fell in love with Urmilla * On Johnson’s return to England he got a rare blood disease due to the cold climate. Characters: Johnson: Gary Johnson was a young Englishman who had come to Trinidad to spend the holidays with his friend Franklin’s on his coco estate in Sangre Grande. He left England in winter as he was eager to get some sunlight. While Johnson stayed with his friend he was quite interested to learn all about the estate. Johnson enjoyed hearing and listening to the local superstition and every time he heard a story he would write it down in a notebook. He very much liked a young local girl named Urmilla who he eventually planned to marry. He became ill with a rare blood disease and had very little time to live. Sam: Sam was the overseer of the estate who worked there for many years. He is the narrator of the story. He liked Urmilla and her father spook to her to try to marry Urmilla. He never told Urmilla how much he had like her. Urmilla’s father made her promise to marry Sam before he died but Sam told Urmilla he would not hold her to the promise. Urmilla: Urmilla was a beautiful young Indian girl who worked on the estate. Her father wanted her to get married. Urmilla liked Johnson and they eventually planned to get married. Urmilla was very happy when Johnson returned to the island but was she was worried about his illness and went to the local obeah  man to get a cure for him. Socdeo: He was an elderly man who Urmilla father and wanted her to get married. Franklin: Franklin was a middle aged Englishman who had bought the cocoa estate after the price of cocoa had fall on the world’s market and the estate was going to ruin. Franklin was a kind hearted person who treated his workers well and became a god father to many children in the village. He was a good friend of Johnson and encouraged Johnson to run the estate with him.

Black Panthers: The Struggle

Black Panthers: The Struggle In one word, the Black Panthers would be described as radical. They took the civil rights movement to a whole new level. The Black Panther Party also took the meaning of self- defense to new heights. The Black panthers stood for freedom, equal rights, better health care, decent housing and education, but most of all putting an end to police brutality. According to the article History of the black panthers the panthers are know for being the most powerful for social change since the Revolution of 1776 and the Civil War. The Black Panther Party (BPP) knew it would be a tough road to travel, but they knew they had to fight for what was right. The panthers endured countless attacks from their own community law enforcement, and higher power attacks From FBI leader, J. Edgar Hoover. Some of the Panthers even put their lives on the line for the movement. Some say that the Black Panthers failed as a group, but they did succeed, they succeeded in giving the black community hope and letting th em know that you have to stand up for what you believe in. Two Law students by the names of Bobby Seale and Huey Newton decided to start a civil rights group with a little more aggressive in your face style. This Group would be called The Black Panther Party. Their original goal and vision was to stop police brutality in the black community, and serve the needs of black oppressed people (Baggins). The group was Established in Oakland California in 1966(Baggins). According to the article History of the black Panthers The panthers put in place The Ten Point Program. The Ten Point program emphasized what the panthers were wanted to change and what they where fighting for. It consisted of these demands, We Want freedom. We want the power to determine, We want full Employment for our people, We want an end to the robbery by the capitalists of our black community, We want decent housing fit for the shelter of human beings, we want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society, we want all black men to be exempt from military service, we want an immediate end to police brutality, and murder of black people, we want freedom for all black men held in federal, state, county and city prisons and jails, we want all black people when brought to trial to be tried in court by a jury of their peers or people from their black communities, as defined by the constitution of the United States, and finally we want land, bread, housing, education, clothing , justice ,and peace. Unlike Dr. King and his influence Mahatma Gandhi which choose a non-violent approach, the panthers went in a totally different direction. Influenced by the late Malcolm X the panthers took a very aggressive and radical approach (May Pg.1 Interview). The Panthers brought an entirely new tempo to the civil rights movement in the 60s and early 70s. They made it known early that they were very serious and wouldnt take no for and answer. On April 25, 1967 the first issue of The Black Panthers the partys official news organ goes into distribution. (Baggins) The growth of the Panther Party really grew during the 60s. When Huey Newton went to jail in the late 60s there was an enormous growth in the party. The Black Panther party eventually spread to 25 major U.S. cities Nationwide. Through the existence of the Panthers were known for getting in their share of trouble. In 19 67 Leader Huey Newton was charged for killing a policeman, which started the Free Huey Movement which gave the party a lot of attention. (Black panther party) Also in 1970, in New York 21 Panthers were charged with plotting to assassinate police officers. (The Shadow of the Panther) Later another leader of the Panther Party would once again get in trouble. Elgridge Cleaver was charged with a murder and Fled to Cuba with his wife. (Black Panther Party) During the time that the Black Panthers were prominent in the Black Power Movement FBI leader J.Edgar Hoover kept a very close eye on them. J. Edgar Hoover stated that the black panthers were the greatest threat to the internal security of the country. (Baggins) Soon Hoover would begin a program called (Cointelpro) Counter Intelligence program to break up spreading unity of revolutionary groups that begun solidifying through the work and example of the Panthers. (The Shadow of the Panthers) In November 68 Hoover ordered FBI offices to exploit all avenues of greating Dissension within the Black Panther Party. (Baggins) In secret The FBI eventually spent millions of dollars trying to destroy the Panthers. (Black Panther Party) The media would also go against the BPP by labeling them anti-white, for many white U.S. citizens the Panthers Symbolized terror. (Black Panther Party) During the movement everyone wanted to stop the Panthers, but they knew if they gave up they were giving up the ir right to freedom. From the beginning of the BPP the FBI and Law enforcement wanted to put an end to it, but the Black Panthers wont give up without a fight. In the late 60s the Panthers became violent and became involved in a series of violent confrontations with the police, resulting with deaths on both sides. (Black Panther Party) The series of killings started with young 17 year-old Bobby Hutton who was shot 12 times after surrendering to the police. This was just a taste of what the BPP would encounter in 1969. On December 4th, 1969 at 4:00AM in the morning, thanks to FBI informant Chicago Police raided the Panthers Chicago apartment murdering Fred Hampton. Who was apparently sleep in the bed and Mark Clark who was sleep in the living room chair was also executed. Also murdered was Hamptons wife carrying their eight month year-old child. Hampton was shot twice in the head and once in the shoulder and arm. Four Panthers escaped wounded and were charged with attempted murder of police officers and aggravated assault. Not one single cop spent a moment in jail for the executions. (Black Panther Party) After the series of executions in the early 70s the Panthers started to steadily decline due to legal problems and internal conflicts, the Panther party began to loose their edge. (Black Panther Party) In early 1972 Newton and Seale announced their attention of abandoning violent methods. (Black Panther Party) Later in 1972 police and FBI harassment took a toll on the Panthers and they collapsed. (Black Panther Party) Finally In 1974 Newton and Seale left the Black Panthers for good. After Life with the Black Panthers the leaders went on totally different journeys. Bobby Seale ran for mayor of Oakland, California in 1973 and got second. (War against the Panthers). Unfortunately Huey Newton fell victim to drugs and became very dependent. He called it reactionary suicide. (Black Panther Party) After the Panther end in 1977 the movement nearly expired. The Panthers will always be known for being the most powerful group for social change in America since the Revolution of 1776 and the Civil War. (What was the Black Party?) The Black Panther Party was also the first organization in the United States history to militantly struggle for ethnic minority. (What was The Black Panther Party?) Most of all The Black Panthers brought the aggression that fueled the Black Power Movement. They brought a very radical attitude to the movement that no one had every seen or expected. These days Bobby Seale has become a public speaker and community liaison on behalf of Temple University.(Black Panther Party) After a murder charge Eldrige Cleaver Fled to Cuba where he continued to argue African Americans on revolution until his death in 1998. (Black Panther Party) Founder Huey Newton was fatally shot three times in the face over a drug dispute, on August 22, 1989. His Last words were You can kill my body but you can never kill my soul, my soul will live forever! (Black Panther Party) In 1993 The Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation was founded in honor of Newton.(What is the black Panther party) The Black Panther Party gave the black communities in the 60s and 70s hope. They made the black community realize that they were somebody and that they did count. The BPP was rock of the Black Power Movement and will always be remembered for their efforts. Sometimes to get rid of the gun, you have to pick up the gun- Huey Newton. Work Cited. Black Panthers The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-BlackPan.html web. Baggins, Brian. History of the Black Panther Party. Marxists Internet Archive (marx.org), 2002. Retrieved on (todays date). URL: http://www.marxists.org/history/usa/workers/black-panthers/ web. Overview of the panthers Black Panther Party.www.Lawbrain.com/wiki/Black_Panther_Party web. Histoty of the panther. Interview: Travis May Persona Grandfather. What is The black Panther Party? www.BlackPanther.org/Legacynew. web. Legacy of the panthers. War against the Pantherswww.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USApantherB.htm web. The Panthers struggle.

Biking the Virginia Creeper Trail :: Tourism

Biking the Virginia Creeper Trail Biking the Virginia Creeper Trail is an outstanding experience that you will never forget. The trail is located in a beautiful, small town in Virginia known as Damascus. This town provides many amenities such as lodging, dining and great outdoor entertainment. The town of Damascus is located about fifty miles northeast of the East Tennessee State University campus. From campus you will get onto US181 north for about twenty miles and then turn off onto the Bristol exit. This exit will then put you onto US81north. As you cross the Tennessee, Virginia line you will see signs to Damascus, Virginia. From the state line Damascus is only thirty-five miles away. After you exit to Damascus the signs are very explanatory. The Creeper Trail dates back to the early railroads in Abingdon, Virginia, in the 1880’s. Abingdon is a town outside of Damascus where a coal and iron railroad company was built. The railway traveled through Damascus and to the top of Whitetop Mountain. The railroad ran for many years but later on became damaged by floods and torrential rains. In 1977 the railway was finally torn down and the land was turned over to Abingdon and Damascus. The trail then became a biking, walking, and a horseback-riding trail. A great site to get historical information on the Virginia Creeper Trail is, (www.vacreepertrail.com/history/VACreeperHistory.htm) The town of Damascus is very charming with its beautiful Victorian houses along each road and the friendliness of the locals. While you drive into town you will come to a place called Adventure Damascus, where you can rent bikes and get a shuttle up to the top of Whitetop Mountain for only twenty dollars. The fee includes your bike rental, shuttle, and two bottles of water. The trip from downtown to the top of the mountain seems very long and dreadful but when you finally approach the top the view and ride is well worth it. The length of the trail from Whitetop to Damascus is around 20 miles long and should take four hours to make it down. People are allowed to ride up the mountain or ride down the mountain. To ride up the mountain the biker must be experienced and very well educated about the trail. As you start the trail you will hear the sounds of horses making their way up the mountain to meet you. Before you know it you will be gliding down from Whitetop Station into the forest canopy of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.

Obesity Alters Gut Microbial Ecology Essay -- Biology

A common theme among the concerns of today’s American citizens is that of obesity. Obesity, identifiable by abnormal fat accumulation, can be defined in absolute terms by one who has a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30. It is estimated that over 30 percent of American adults are clinically obese. This number has shown a dramatic increase from the 15 percent of American adults suffering from obesity in 1980. Globally, 400 million adults are obese, while predictions place this number at 700 million by 2015. The major issue confronting this adiposity is the health conditions that accompany states of extreme obesity. These include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis among others. The escalating number of obese and the health effects connected to this condition have resulted in increased research and attention to the study of obesity. It is the common belief that the cause of obesity is solely due to an excessive consumption of food. However, recent studies have made a correlation between obesity and the diversity of microbiota in the gut. One project of focus (â€Å"Obesity alters gut microbial ecology†) measured the proportions of gut microbes in mice populations and hypothesized a relationship between this bacterial number and body mass. The significance of this field of study is vital to the issue of obesity. First, such a discovery would falsify the stereotype that obesity is exclusively a result of a disproportionate intake of calories. Instead, it would show that this condition is a genetic trait which maintains an acute relationship with the composition of microbes in the gut. More importantly, if the exact association between obesity and gut microbes can be discovered, it may be possible to alter or... ...05. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 21 Oct 2007. . * "Obesity." Wikipedia. 14 Nov 2007. . * "Obesity and Overweight." Media Centre. Sept 2006. World Health Organization. 1 Nov 2007. . * "Overweight and Obesity." Diseases and Conditions Index. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 1 Nov 2007. . * Smith, Christopher M. "DNA Sequence and Structural Analysis." 17 Feb 2004. The Regents of the University of California. 21 Oct 2007. >. * University of Maryland. "Phylogenetic Analysis I." 2006. 21 Oct. 2007. .

Adopting Africans not the answer

In Adopting Africans not the answer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, argues against an appeal that Madonna has made on television: adopt an African child.Her opinion is summarized as, â€Å"Madonna could have urged others to help solve the problems by empowering, not failed leaders, but the people.†Adichie’s opinion can be categorized under both persuasion and deliberation. First, she expounds on what Madonna says on TV and then tries to persuade others to believe that Madonna, could have said something better.Therefore, her goal is to clarify what Madonna has said, and make a resolution as to what Madonna could have said. In the process of doing this, she also simultaneously presents to her readers the situation for children in Africa and how the public can help.As she narrates her African background and urges people to look more closely at Africa, and essentially, look far beyond what Madonna has said, she also deliberates on the better type of action between adopting a chi ld in Africa, or sending a donation to check to malaria-eradication organizations. Adichie wants her readers to believe that the better thing to do is send donation.My outlook on Adichie’s opinion is perhaps similar to her own opinion of Madonna – I wish Adichie could have focused on the fact that Africa needs donation, instead of going around in circles, telling a lot of things that could not strongly prove a point.Adichie’s article was full of herself. She starts with her childhood, goes on to tell what she feels, and ends the article with what she would think, which is only a poor anticipation of a scenario that do not give enough kick to support her arguments.Adichie could have been more straightforward, and started with what Madonna said on television. From there, she could have skipped some parts of her story and went straight to correct â€Å"the underlying notion that one helps Africa by adopting Africa's children.† Instead, she dragged on and too k Madonna’s adopted child’s biological father on the scene without empowering her opinion.Yet, when Adichie needed to expound, she failed. She wrote, â€Å"I wish she (Madonna) had added that Africa cannot depend on aid alone, that aid is like salted peanuts: The more failed leaders get, the more they want. I wish she had said she was setting up an organization run by locals to use donations as micro-credit.†Adichie could have directly compared the effects of helping a micro-credit and adopting a child in a bid to help Africa as a nation. But Adichie just carelessly went on without painting a clearer and crispier picture in the minds of her readers.Towards the end of her argument, she peppers her words with a lot of â€Å"I wonder,† which made her arguments a lot weaker and immature than what it should be. She may gotten the message across that Madonna could have said something better; but she did give a lot of depth to her explanation for that. So after a while, her reader forgets about what Madonna has said, and what she herself has said.It’s a shame because Adichie almost made a point – that Africa can be helped not just be adopting its children. But she merely touches on the â€Å"why† part of her article — where she was meant to strengthen her point and create an imprint in people’s minds — and clearly loses control of her argument. Overall, her article is doomed to be forgettable.SOURCE:CHIMAMANDA, N.A. (2006). Adopting Africans not the answer. News Day.  Retrieved November 15, 2006, fromhttp://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-padi144975329nov14,0,116074.story?coll=ny-vi

Describe the Influence of Two Contrasting Economic Environments

P5-Describe the influence of two contrasting economic environments on business activities within a selected organisation Within my selected organisation, Tesco, there are 2 important economic environments that have an influence on business activities. Both economic environments will have a different way on affecting Tesco. The economic environments are growth and recession. Economic growth occurs when more goods are being produced and consumed, and incomes are rising. A growth company tends to have very profitable reinvestment opportunities for its own retained earnings.Economic growth will affect Tesco as it would increase their profits due to more people wanting more products and wanting to spend their money. As people have more money to spend on luxuries instead of the essentials it means that the higher value products will be brought. For example the Andrex toilet rolls will be brought instead of Tesco value, because of this it means more money is being spent in the store which i s an advantage for Tesco. Recession occurs when people involved in business become more cautious and: * Customers cut back on spending, and start to save more Manufactures and sellers cut back on their orders, produce fewer goods and start to cut back costs in general, including by laying off workers. Because economic recessions will put Tesco’s customers under money worries they will only be purchasing from the store, instead of what they want; only what they need. Examples on what Tesco customers would want include: chocolate, ice cream, sweats, and walker’s crisps instead of Tesco value, the luxuries. Examples on what Tesco customers need include: toothpaste, milk, bread and more, just the essentials.P6-Describe how political, legal and social factors are impacting upon the business activities of the selected organisations and their stakeholders A PESTLE analysis for Tesco must consider all the important external factors impacting on the company. These factors may h ave political, economic, sociological, technological, legal or environmental dimensions. The political analysis must include the impact of local and national government, and the international situation. The Economic analysis needs to investigate the influences of the stock market and tax increases, amongst many other monetary matters.Sociological factors are difficult to suss out. We swim in the â€Å"water† of our culture without recognising it as an important determining factor. And sociological analysis is all about analysing the background culture. Technological factors are usually easier to spot, because new technologies involve change, and change is always noticed. For instance, online shopping has had a major impact on Tesco's recent success. The change created by technological advances often lead to legal problems, which is why legal analysis is always an important part of a PESTLE analysis.Tesco's operations obviously have a significant environmental impact, from fos sil fuel use to packaging issues. Reducing the demand on the planet is a challenge for any big company. A PESTLE Analysis for Tesco must look at all the six factors we have mentioned. Here they are again, with examples of each: * Political: an increase in unemployment due to a downward turn in the world economy. * Economic: impact on sales of the credit crunch. * Sociological: an increase in immigration from Eastern Europe resulting in a demand for new goods. * Technological: how can Tesco take full advantage of the World Wide Web? Legal: how can Tesco avoid legal opposition to expanding into new high streets? * Environmental: – climate change is affecting supply and transport, how can Tesco adapt? In summary, any PESTLE Analysis for Tesco must consider all external factors if it has any hope of capturing the essence of the company. Political- Marketing decisions are strongly influenced by changes in the political environment. Changes such as new legislations put forward by c ouncils and governments, not just in the UK but also in the other thirteen countries that Tesco operates in.One legislation that affects Tesco rather predominantly is planning permission; a law heavily regulated in the UK, and as Tesco has approximately 2. 75 million meters of shop space (including car parks and stock rooms). Owning so much space and with so many large superstores can make this factor a very difficult one to overcome. Legal- The economy is different worldwide and fluctuates constantly, which makes this factor so complex for large multi-nationals like Tesco to tackle.To maintain maximum profitability overall, Tesco needs to raise its prices in accordance with inflation rates. If however prices are raised higher than the rate of inflation, customers may be urged to go somewhere else or spend less, and if the prices aren't raised high enough, they may not compensate with the rate of inflation and decrease the products profit margin. As there are people on different bud gets, Tesco tries to accommodate for everyone, which is why over recent years they have introduced many different price-based ranges. Social-Social attitudes of today’s society have changed the way people live, people now are working longer hours to sustain the financial demand that is needed in-order to keep up a higher standard of living, â€Å"One quarter of working men and 11% of working women in the UK now work more than 50 hours per week† . This is a social problem because it encourages people to eat ‘fast food’ type products such as pasties, sausage rolls, pre-packaged sandwiches and microwavable take-away items such as burgers ; hot dogs etc, which all have high percentages of saturated fats, sugars and salts.These ‘fast foods’ are eaten because of their convenience and due to time shortages from working longer hours these food are the easy option. This implicates less healthy diets and obesity in the UK population. M2-Compare the chal lenges to selected business activities within a selected organisation, in two different economic environments [IE] Tesco delivered a 10% increase in profits to a mighty ? 3. 4bn and chief executive Sir Terry Leahy declared the retailer â€Å"stronger than it was before the recession†.There is no single secret to Tesco's success, but at the heart of the company is its focus on customers. Its mantra is to look after them, and everything else will look after itself. It sounds simple, but few companies are as focused. Size also matters. Selling more means better buying terms – and that equals lower prices and/or higher profit margins. Lower prices then bring in bigger sales volumes. Tesco, like so few of its high street rivals, has succeeded in making itself largely classless, with price ranges designed to cater across the board.Britain's biggest retailer Tesco has called on the Bank of England to cut interest rates on, despite the fact the supermarket giant has yet to see any impact of the slowdown in the economy after reporting an increase in like-for-like sales. Overall the business in the UK was making good progress, and that Tesco Direct and tesco. com had both delivered â€Å"very strong† growth. The international business was rapidly expanding and that Asia had performed particularly well with a 29pc increase in sales. Tesco is on track to open new stores in the international business which will provide more than 7m sq ft of new trading floor space this year.Tesco have maintained pleasing progress, overall sales growth has strengthened in the period, with International delivering a particularly strong performance, and the UK has again done well, with good growth in our core food categories. M3-Analyse how political, legal and social factors have impacted on the two contrasting organisations Tesco will experience many issues when it comes to political, legal and social factors. All businesses will experience similar problems even one tha t is in a different market, for example Apple would experience similar, however not the exact same problems as Tesco.One political factor that will impact Tesco is the Consumer Protection Act 1987. This is a set of laws and regulations that were designed to protect consumers from faulty and/or unsatisfactory goods bought. As an example – you buy a stereo from Tesco and within 2 days, the sound distorts and crackles, this is not fit for purpose as the stereo was designed to allow you (the consumer) to listen to your music, which you cannot do satisfactorily. You are therefore entitled to return the item for a replacement or refund but only within a set time i. e. 0 days, if the item became faulty after 30 days, the store you bought it from are entitled to send it for repair. This could impact Tesco because just say they had a poor supplier then they would have many a customer returning demanding refunds or repairs which therefore will cause Tesco to lose out and it could cause them to lose customers as it’ll give them bad customer satisfaction. Apple could definitely relate to this as they sell many electrical products which could go faulty at any time, an example could be if they sold an iPhone and the consumer could not make calls on it or connect it to iTunes.Although they are a huge company who promise that there will be no faultiness in their products and offer warranties, it is not one hundred per cent certain that their products will work efficiently. There will be the odd product that will be faulty. For employment legislations, the government encourages retailers to provide a mix of job opportunities from flexible, lower-paid and locally-based jobs (working in the stores) to highly-skilled, higher-paid and centrally-located jobs (working in, probably London, being a part of a department.An example would be working for the the Tesco marketing team). Also to meet the demand from population categories such as students, working parents and se nior citizens. Tesco understands that retailing has a great impact on jobs and people factors (new store developments are often seen as destroying other jobs in the retail sector as traditional stores go out of business or are forced to cut costs to compete), being an inherently local and labor-intensive sector.Tesco employs large numbers of; student, disabled and elderly workers, often paying them lower rates. In an industry with a typically high staff turnover, these workers offer a higher level of loyalty and therefore represent desirable employees. Apple D2-Evaluate how future changes in economic political, legal and social factors, may impact on the strategy of a specified organisation

Great Gatsby Narrative Voice Essay

The narrator’s influence plays a fundamental role in a novel that every reader takes into account when getting involved in the story . In Francis S. Fitzgerald’s literary work ‘’The Great Gasby ‘’ the function of Carraway’s narrative voice brought up several controversies among readers and critics for it deals with 3 different attitudes from the part of the narrator through whom ‘’Fitzgerald is able to achieve the aesthetic distance ‘’. (76 Donaldson) The purpose of the essay is to try to pin down those attitudes in view of Carraway’s eliability , awareness and detachment in the novel. In ‘’The Great Gatsby ‘’ Carraway presents the main character as an unique individual who has an ‘’extraordinary gift for hope , a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which is not likely i shall ever find again ‘’(2). His fascination and aknowledgement of Gatsby’s idealism promps the reader to reflect on the promise and the hope the future holds for such an individual and for the tragism of his existence. Carraway becomes reliable as a visionary for he is able to rise above the particular events epicted in the story , revealing a universal and tragic meaning in Gastby’s fate ; that of America itself for the hero personifies th seeker of ‘’ his personal Grail ‘’ in the same way Americans pursue their ideals in their quest for national identity. But as the story unfolds the attitude of the narrator becomes more and more ambivalent ‘’ I was within and without simultaneausly enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life’’ . Carraway sees both the sordidness and superficiality of the New York rich class and its thrill and excitement. In this respect he becomes a mediator between the wealthy , rootless society within which the Buchanans assert themselves and the world of Gastby’s romantic imagination and illusion that transcends the novel . Fitzgerald manages to create 2 essential polarities that go to make up the human mind (103 , Mizener). From an allegorical point of view Nick symbolizes ‘’reason , experience , waking, reality and history while Gastby is imagination , innocence, sleeping , dream and eternity. ’’ (103) The former’s consciousness includes the latter’s developpment in the novel for ‘’not only oes he mediate between the world of Gastby and the Buchanans but also between the text and Fitzgerald’s use of him as a narrator. ‘’(98, Mizener) Altough Nick Carraway seems to understand the hero’s fate because he was taught by his father not to judge the people around him as not all of them partook of ‘’the advantages he had’’ the reader perceives a sense of unrealibility and detachment from his part. Nick’s perspective on Gatsby changes all along while he gets more involved in his life and that of the other characters. Nick listens to confessions since’’ he is a little afraid of missing something ‘’(1) but ‘’he judges and condemns practically everything and everyone he meets in the course of the novel. ’’(132,Donaldson) such as Tom Buchanan’s looks and behaviour , Jordan’s shallowness , Daisy and Gastby’s inconsistencies of character , adding an ironic tone to his observations . Another situation relevant to Nick being unreliable is given by the fact that he doesn’t try to pay justice to Gatsby , telling Tom the truth about Myrtle’s accident. He keeps himself at a certain distance creating the impression that sometimes he knows more than what is really happening and other times exhibiting less than what is actually required. Concerning this aspect the ending becomes even more paradoxical when Carraway decides to retreat home while making a nostalgic connection between his childhood and the West. His departure ‘’parallels Gastby’s desire to buy back the past as well as reaffirm the last words of the novel – that American destiny to ‘’beat on boats against the current borne back easeleslly into the past. (182 ) ‘’(106, Lehan) Taking into consideration the challenging aspects of the narrator’s voice the reader is stimulated to determine Nick’s role in the novel and notice the complexity of Fitzgerald’s character while maintaining a certain degree of partiality . In coming to this conclusion I incline to say that however credible Gatsby’s story may be , the reader is free to grasp a larger significance that is implied in the novel which accounts for the growth and decline of the 20th century American nation.

Art Sarcophagus

Art is a symbol for ancient history, religion and people. The only thing that we have from our past ancestors is their art that they left behind. For example the Triumph of Dionysos and the Seasons Sarcophagus is a type of art the ancient Rome left for us by like around the 260 – 270 a. d. which was made by an anonymous roman artist that made it of marble. The Sarcophagus is a very well preserve piece of funerary art that is being preserve at the moment in the Metropolitan Museum for public display. Every detail about this art including the people and the animals are part of their life that they are used to draw then and for then that was a very big deal. The Season Sarcophagus is a well representation of the Roman funeral art. The marble that is was made off it is said that it comes from the eastern Mediterranean and then it was send to Rome where it was used to create the Triumph of Dionysos and the Seasons Sarcophagus. There were only a handful of people that were able to purchase this sarcophagus, which it was most likely for for someone with social standards maybe like one of the member of the aristocratic families that were very important on Rome. Also there maybe another sarcophagus that is very similar or almost same in the Hessisches Landesmuseum in Kassel, Germany that has almost the same structure or composition of the Dionysos in the sarcophagus but also the treatment and the way it was cut the figure is very different. There are not a lot of sarcophagus left from the ancient Rome have survive this those qualities, which is the reason why it is so valuable and interesting.

A Feeling of Accomplishment

I’ve always been a not so active person and didn’t like big changes. But this time I couldn’t do anything about it, I was going to high school. The first thing I noticed was that the school was very small and in a huge building. I had so many different teachers and they all asked for different stuff, but everything was normal. A new year, a new starting point in my life, and I had to become active. It took me a couple of months to realize that I had to try something new.There was an old man around his 50’s always walking around the hallway. His name was Mr. Rey .He use to wear formal clothes, brown dressing pants with a blue Civil Air Patrol shirt, and some black shoes. He seemed nice but I didn’t dare talking to him. Until one day, he came to my History class and gave us a speech about flight. It was just like a sleeping pill almost half of the class felt asleep and I was trying my best to stay awake. It was around two months later when some friends convinced me to join the flight program after school. The first few week I was absolutely lost, and plus I had to hear him tell me the same thing over and over again. Every day after class he told me about all the opportunities, activities and trips we had, and about how I was supposed to try my best. All this made me feel like I needed to understand what he was talking about during class, but it was harder then what it seemed like. I hated being the outsider, I felt dumb and the worst part was that I wanted to learn, but like they say â€Å"Everything is hard until you learn it, then it becomes easy†. Time passed by fast, I already had about five months in the program and it was time to try the real thing. After class Mr. Rey told me I was flying on the upcoming Saturday, all this made me feel nauseous. I just glanced at him and wanted to say no, but words didn’t come out my mouth. On my way home I asked myself how I had gone so far, why didn’t I quit when I felt dumb. Two days until Saturday and I was already freaking out. Everyone seemed happy about the news, and I just didn’t want to think about it. Friday night was awful, I couldn’t stop feeling the anxiety and my eyes just wouldn’t close.Unfortunately for me it was Saturday, and at 8:00am we arrived at Republic Air Port in Farmingdale. My hands could stop sweating and it all got worst when Mr. Rey said that girls go first. I packed my stuff ready and got into the piper. My hands suddenly stopped sweating, it was a strange feeling I never felt before. I took off and landed all by myself and actually did pretty good. When I was in the ground I couldn’t believe what I’ve done. I asked myself what had happened to the old me. Where was the shy and afraid to change girl? That’s when I realize Mr. Rey had changed me he always used to push me just a little further and further each time. That’s when I realized I was definitely not the same girl.Sometimes we think people have nothing to do with what we turn out to be, but I can truthfully tell you Mr. Rey changed my life. I fell more confident and am sure that if I set my mind to something at the end ill taste the sweet feeling of accomplishment.