Environmental Scan Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental Scan Paper - Essay Example Evaluation of the internal and external environments is then followed by crucial decisions regarding long and short term goals and finally organizes for the implementation of the plan of action. This writing describes the internal and external environments of Lego and Harley Davidson companies using an environmental scan. The argument of this writing is to carefully examine, evaluate and analyze both the internal and external environments of Lego and Harley Davidson that enable them gain competitive advantage in their respective industries. Lego is a company that has been successful in the toy and over 150 different types of products for the last 60 years and above. Lego Company has remained successful because of her great global and competitive strategies it has employed. LEGO Group has strived to beat her competitors in the industry due to her initiative of embracing new technology. Internal Environment According to Metcalf & Lafranco (2013), inbound logistics which emphasizes on r aw material is fundamental in the company’s operations. It acquires her main bulk of chemical materials from Lanxess, a German company which provides standardized ingredients without any bottleneck that may interfere with Lego’s company. Lego further focuses on her product’s future demands by ensuring proper product mix. ... The company’s patented plastic ingredient ensures durable product and desirable colors as well as adherence to the European CE-labeling thus ensuring conformation with the European Union legislation (Hjuler & Robertson, 2009). Additionally, Lego has outsourced her distribution to DHL Excel Supply Chain in Eastern Europe hence reducing excess capacity during summer when sales are low. It further helps them to concentrate in the production services and letting experts do her distributions. Lego has also diversified her operations such as entering into a strategic partnership with organizations such as Lucas Arts and Warner Bros that has enabled Star Wars and Harry Porter act as the savior of Lego (Metcalf & Lafranco, 2013). Hjuler & Robertson (2009), posit that several businesses combinations that Lego has entered itself in make it enjoy indirect marketing thus contributing to their dramatic increase in sales. The company has been expanding her production facility closer to thei r customers as well as numerous promotional strategies such as conventional media and philanthropic charity. The company also uses superior prices and avoids any engagement in price strategy and associates her high prices with better quality. It has also integrated some of her programs with educational institutions as a way of improving her products. External Environment Considering Lego’s bargaining power, her significant supplier is within the chemical market which is very competitive thus reducing the supplier’s bargaining power. The company has categorized her suppliers based on riskiness hence making their largest suppliers to be in low risk countries and smaller group of suppliers in high risk countries. Companies in the toy industries including Lego have ensured low

The Parents and their Children Essay Example for Free

The Parents and their Children Essay The family is the basic unit of society.   It is the first social group one immediately and involuntarily becomes a part of.   The immediate family consists of the father, the mother, and the children.   Ideally, the father is the provider of the family.   He is superior, because he holds the foundation of the family.   If the father is weak, the rest of the family collapses.   The mother is the light of the family.   She is the guiding factor for decision-making in the house.    Ideally, she makes sure the house is in order and whatever the provider gives her, she makes it work.   In order for the family to be happy, the children need to be emotionally and physically loved. In the poem, After Making Love We Hear Footsteps,  the author described  the love-making  between the husband and wife,  and then a baby appears.   It is notable that the parents are delighted to have the baby and was described to be â€Å"this blessing love gives again into our arms.  In turn, the baby is very happy to be with loving and snuggling parents and wants to join.   The baby can feel the acceptance and great love from his parents, so in feeling loved, the author wrote: his face gleaming with satisfaction at being this very child.   (Galway, K. 1980). When fathers partake in taking care of the children even after a hard day’s work, it gives the children a sense of greater comfort to know both parents love them.   In the poem, My Papas Waltz, the boy was dancing with his father: The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle.   (Roethke, T.   1908-1963.  3rd stanza). In this poem, the boy doesn’t want to go to bed yet.   The first and second line described the hand of the father that was calloused  due to hard work.   Note that the author of this poem lived during the time where most fathers work with hard machinery as factory workers, you can just imagine how tired the father must be at the end of the day.   The third and fourth line described the height of the boy how young and small he was because his ear was just at the waist level of the father.  Ã‚  The father’s technique of putting him to bed was done in a positive way.   He danced and played with his son, even though they made a mess in the kitchen.   The mother in this poem, however, was trying to control her laughter, as stated in the poem: her countenance could not unfrown itself.   (Roethke, T.   1908-1963.  2nd stanza). One is very fortunate if a family is functional.   A functional family is a family where all the members are emotionally and physically sound.   If a family is sound, the parents can be very protective of their children.   They want a good future for their children like any loving parent would.   If something happens to their children out of the ordinary, the parents are the greatest to suffer. If death occurs in the family, the members will normally become depressed.   Killings,  is a story which tells about the parents dealing with the pain of  loss of their son, Frank, due to murder.   Here, one of the siblings has thought of killing the murderer.   The father also bought a .38 gun because he has the same intention too and being  the father, he suffered the most.   His thought for revenge was greatly influenced with his wifes depression, And at nights in bed she would hold Matt and cry, or sometimes she was silent and Matt would touch her tightening arm, her clenched fist.   Eventually, the father killed the murderer.   (Dubus, A. 1979).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In reality, most families are dysfunctional.   The children are the ones greatly affected when this happens.   Barn Burning, is a story of a father hurting his son.   It was accounted many times how the father hit the child, His father struck him with the flat of his hand on the side of the head, hard but without heat, exactly as he had struck the two mules at the store,  and this happened not only once in the story.   It was also described that the child, being just a son, had  always been brushed off whenever he speaks out to his father.  Ã‚  Then the  slapping of the father eventually progressed into  an abuse. The abuse was clearly identified, This time his father didnt strike him.   The hand came even faster than the blow had, the same hand which had set the can on the table with almost excruciating care flashing from the can toward him too quickly for him to follow it, gripping him by the back of his shirt and on to tiptoe before he had seen it quit the can, the face stooping at him in breathless and frozen ferocity, and after that the father wanted the son to be tied up to the bedpost.   The sad part here was that the childs mother, aunt, and siblings were indifferent.   The child was able to run free into the woods, and, like escaping a nightmare, he ran as far away from the house and did not look back.   (Faulkner, W. 1939).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The role of the father as the provider is indeed very important.   The mother and the children are powerless over the actions of the father because they are dependent on him financially.   The children tolerate abuse from parents because they are too young to become independent.   Moreover, they are still innocent and confused.   If the child grew up with loving parents, most likely the child will be loving and caring too. If the child grew up in an abusive environment, chances are the child will grow up with personality disorders one day.   Children view their parents as their role models, because they mirror themselves to be as strong as them.   In the short story, Barn Burning, although the child ran away, when he learned that his father joined the army,  (which may have caused his fathers leg to be amputated), he was proud.   The father is still the figure of strength in the family.   Ideally, fathers should do their best to provide.   (Faulkner, W. 1939).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If a family member dies, the rest of the family grieves.   Depression is the result of a long grief.   Due to this, family members might think of revenge over the death of a loved one, for instance, the father killed the murderer in the short story, Killings.   The father here didnt act alone, and he was helped by his friend, Willis, to plot  and kill the murderer. At the same time, the father didn’t reveal anything to his wife, although the wife suspected that her husband was plotting to kill the suspect.   Even though the wife knew there was a plot, she was calm and â€Å"waited† for it to happen, in short, she agreed to kill the suspect too.   The father was not a bad person, but the suspect took the life of his son and the sight of the suspect pained him and his wife so much.   In this case, the murder done by the father was justified because of grief.   (Dubus, A. 1979).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is good to know why these poems and short stories are written as such.   Authors write something for a reason.   Their works are forms of expression of their real experiences.   For example, Emily Dickinson wrote â€Å"The Bustle in a House,† which describes â€Å"mourning after death.†   Ã‚  (Dickinson, E. 1866. 1st stanza.).   It may be related to her real life story due to loss of loved ones.   She stated:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The sweeping up the heart   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And putting love away   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We shall not want to use again   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Until eternity.   (Dickinson, E. 1866. 2nd stanza.). Death is a fact of life so one should resume his normal life to be able to recover from depression.   This view of death is also similar to the poem, â€Å"February,† which stated on the last line, â€Å"Get rid of death. Celebrate increase. Make it be spring.† (Atwood, M. 1995). Parents will always â€Å"fear for their children† whether their parental ways are good or bad.   (Dubus, A. 1979).   Parents know the value of having children and it’s priceless.   They just have different ways of showing value.   Some of them treat their children as possessions, because of their fear and insecurities, so there’s a tendency to be abusive.   Still, the love of parents will always be there and they will always be the first ones to grieve over the death of their children.   Grief is associated with love.

moralhf Huckleberry Finn Essays †Moral :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Huckleberry Finn – Moral The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain tell the story of how a young boy learns how to overcome the idea that colored folks are less equal then white folk. Regardless of the positive lessons portrayed throughout this book, it has been miss represented even from the very day that it was published. In fact, it has been said that this "book has been controversial since it was published it 1885" in a Los Angeles Times article written by Henry Weinstein in 1998. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a classical story which was written for enjoyment and future education. This book was not written to encourage any derogatory slurs to any ethnic groups. Even though Jim, the colored friend of Huckleberry Finn, felt that every white person though of color people as less equal, his friendship with Huck should be an inspiration to everyone to overcome differences. America has become a country that has given every one of its citizens an awesome privilege to be equal. Along w ith this privilege to be equal, America citizens have the opportunity to learn and become educated. The schools that provide this education should had the right to teach people how this country has evolved into a great nation. This right should include an ability to examine both the good and the bad and it should include a proper response to both. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn provides an excellence chance for teachers to explain to young people how America has now treats everyone equal. Many times in the friendship of Huck and Jim, Jim's idea that all white people treat colored people as less equal then white people show up. Jim, who is a run-a-way slave, was always trying to avoid any contact with white people of town. One specific example of how Jim thought about white people was when he stumbled across a dead man on the river in a house. Jim did not what to tell anyone, not even Huck. He thought that if anyone found out they would blame him for murdering the fellow. Jim was always in hiding. He thought that if a white person saw him, he would be sent back to his owner and punished.

Strategic Position Review of Michael Hill Jewelers in New Zealand

Michael Hill Jewellers (MHJ) is one of the most recognizable names in the New Zealand retail jewellery industry. In 1979, Michael Hill opened his first store in Whangerei. Until then, jewellery stores had been run primarily by craftsmen jewellers. Michael Hill changed this with the philosophy â€Å"to make jewellery buying less intimidating and more accessible to the public.† In order for any company to succeed, it has to take a look at the environment in which it operates. This is why an external environmental analysis is so important. This involves a continuous process of scanning, monitoring, forecasting, and assessing the external environment. Doing so will illuminate any opportunities to be exploited or threats to minimize. The first step in the analysis is environmental scanning which is identifies any trends or changes which are occurring or have recently occurred in the environment. Once identified, the company can then strategise and react in order to exploit the phen omenon. Three useful tools in an environmental analysis are a PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and Strategic Grouping. Utilising these tools, an environmental scan of the jewellery industry will be performed. PESTEL AnalysisPoliticalMany of the raw materials for the jewellery industry can originate in countries that have political instability. Of the top five diamond producing countries, Canada is the most politically stable, with minimal probability of any mining disruption due to war. The other four are a different situation. Russia is still in a state of internal turmoil regarding Chechnya and other breakaway nations, while Botswana, Angola and Congo are all in a constant risk of war both from within and from neighbouring war-torn countries. A war in any of the above countries would cause a considerable loss in production and have a significant impact on the jewellery industry worldwide.EconomicThe entire jewellery industry relies on commodities such as gold, platinu m and silver in order to manufacture their product. This can create a problem as the prices of commodities can fluctuate drastically. For example, from 1982 to 2005 gold prices remained relatively stable. From 2005 to 2011 it nearly quadrupled in value. This price increase for the raw material will  be passed on to the consumer causing a price increase in the end product. Conversely, if the price of the commodity drops it would be expected that the price of the finished product would reflect this.SocialIn recent years, it has become more important to consumers to purchase products that have been produced ethically. In the jewellery industry, one of the most prominent ethical issues is the use of blood or conflict diamonds. These diamonds are mined and sold by African rebel forces in order to finance their wars in Angola and Sierra Leone. There has been a certification system instituted that lets the consumer know the origin of the diamond that they are looking at purchasing. Consu mers can now ask the jeweller to see the certificate of origin for their diamond. Jewellers must now be aware of this and ensure that they buy only ethically obtained diamonds in order to fulfil this request.TechnologicalThe internet allows consumers to select and purchase any piece of jewellery they desire online. A large number of jewellers have online stores or use websites such as amazon.com and ebay.com to reach their customers. It is important for the jewellers to recognise that their clientele are no longer limited geographically and can easily find and in some cases import items that may not be readily available in that region.EnvironmentalBusinesses are starting to become more aware of the impact that their own production processes have on the environment and are looking for ways to reduce this. The gold mined to produce jewellery is not always extracted with the most environmentally sound methods. Up to 15% of the world’s gold is produced using artisanal and small s cale gold mining, the single largest demand sector for mercury. Virtually all of this mercury is dumped directly back into the environment causing havoc on the surrounding ecosystems. The jewellery industry needs to ensure that they purchase raw materials from only environmentally sustainable mining companies.Legal Due to the size of some of the companies in the jewellery industry along with the large sums of money and power that accompanies it, there are strict  antitrust laws in place. The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international organisation set up to oversee and protect the jewellery industry from various practices. This council has set up antitrust policies in order to protect its members. Industry Environment Analysis – Porter’s Five ForcesPorter’s Five Forces model is used to evaluate the degree of rivalry between competitors in a given industry through assessing the four forces that lead to this outcome. These forces are the threat of new entr ants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, and the threat of substitute products.Threat of New EntrantsIs the ease in which a new company can start into the retail jewellery industry. It is not difficult to start a jewellery store as the only requirements are start up capital and a premises. There are many small sole trader jewellery shops in New Zealand to attest to this. Therefore, the threat of new entrants is: HIGH Bargaining Power of SuppliersIs the control that suppliers have over the pricing and distribution of their products across the jewellery industry. Once the wholesalers have sold their products to the retailers, the retailers can sell for any price they deem appropriate. There are many wholesalers in the industry, many based in Asia, giving the retailer alternative suppliers if the price is not right. Therefore the bargaining power of suppliers is: LOW Bargaining Power of BuyersIs the power belonging to the customer to choose to shop at a store. As there are many jewellery stores to choose from, many of which seem to have sales on every week, the customer can decide not only to shop elsewhere, but even try to haggle for a discount. Therefore the bargaining power of buyers is: HIGHThreat of SubstitutesIs the probability that a consumer will purchase something else. Since jewellery is a luxury item and not a necessity, consumers will choose to spend their income on many thing before jewellery even makes the list. Not only do necessities come first, but other luxury items may be higher on the list of things to purchase like golf clubs or bicycles. Therefore the threat of substitutes is: HIGH Degree of RivalryIs the level of competition within the industry. Even though only three out of the four forces were identified as high, the retail jewellery industry is still extremely competitive. The one anomaly was the power of suppliers and the only reason that was low is because the suppliers operate in such a competitive stat e as well, giving more bargaining power to their customers, the retailers. Therefore the degree of rivalry is: HIGH Strategic GroupingA competitor analysis compares a company against each direct competitor. It relies on four key areas for comparison. These are future objectives, current strategy, assumptions, and capabilities. By looking at these concepts a response can be formulated and the company can create a strategy. The closest competitor of Michael Hill is Pascoes. They have similar strategy with pricing and target market. Walker and Hall aims at a higher level with more designer items and craftsmen in store. Partridge Jewellers is a contrast to Michael Hill with only the best brands and handmade jewellery in their stores in only four select high end shopping districts in New Zealand.ConclusionThrough a PESTEL analysis, an industry environmental analysis and a strategic grouping map, the retail jewellery industry can be evaluated. The PESTEL analysis showed various trends tha t may have an effect on the industry while the industry environmental analysis showed that the competitive rivalry in the industry is quite high. The strategic grouping map illustrated that the company itself shares a target market with few other large companies but does not display the hundreds of other smaller independent firms that offer similar services.What has been learned in this assessment is that Michael Hill has cornered the jewellery retailing industry in New Zealand and has bucked the financial trend by being one of the companies on the NZX to make large gains during the recession. Through low prices, Friedman Group staff training, and a good understanding of their industry environment, they have  become one of the leading retailers in New Zealand.

Description of a Tramp Essay

A tramp, also known as a hobo, is the term used to describe a person, who lives a vagrant lifestyle and who usually itinerant and redundant. Many tramps travel from place to place, also looking for some form of shelter or a short-term job to earn money to survive, on the other hand some other tramps depend on begging for money to survive, some even resort to scavenging. Many tramps have traveled to seek work or to find more pleasant and welcoming communities where they might obtain assistance from charitable organizations, churches, or individuals. Tramps became very high-profile throughout the Great Depression, when many people were forced into transient lifestyles by the disturbed American economy. The image of a tramp is usually recognized as dirty, dishevelled and disgusting. Tramps are generally seen residing on streets; on top of that they can be seen drunk, asleep and oblivious to their surroundings. A tramp lives on very few clothes and hardly any money (sometimes even none at all). Many are very unclean; they do not shave, shower or have any change of clothes as they can not afford any of these resources. In addition to that, they become even more dirty as they resort to sleeping on the streets as they do not have any other shelter, the dirt on the streets does not help their hygiene or health. Also it adds to their extremely unpleasant smell, as most live outside everyday in the busy, polluted cities, this also impacts their hygiene and most importantly health. As they have no change of clothes, the different seasons in the year can be very hard for them, as in the summer, when it is incredibly hot they suffer also in the deep winter, which again disturbs their health. Many people become tramps and homeless for various number of reasons, the most common include becoming addicted to drugs, therefore loosing money, job, friends and family and being left alone with nothing, this is also a similar case with alcohol and gambling. On some occasions it is not necessarily that persons fault, it could be that the persons family have been homeless before, or because someone else has cheated the person causing them to lose everything and ending up on the streets or they have been made redundant by the government. It could also be they are uneducated as they did not have the opportunity to go to school. It could be economic circumstances, mental illness and many other factors that they have ended up in such a bad state. To survive, tramps usually resort to begging in the streets or in busy areas such as shopping centres. Some also work hard to try and find temporary jobs, usually jobs that come with shelter. Many tramps also seek charitable organization which help homeless people and provide food and comfort. Others even scavenge for food and clothes in dumps and bins, most only do this if they are exceedingly desperate. However, when tramps beg on the streets many people do not really wish to donate money or food to the tramps as their unpleasant appearance prevents them, also they believe the tramps will misuse the money on alcohol and drugs as opposed to spending it on material they need.

The Medieval Chivalric Romance

The Medieval Chivalric Romance Chivalric romance is a type of prose or verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They typically describe the adventures of quest-seeking, legendary knights who are portrayed as having heroic qualities. Chivalric romances celebrate an idealized code of civilized behavior that combines loyalty, honor, and courtly love. Knights of the Round Table and Romance The most famous examples are the Arthurian romances recounting the adventures of Lancelot, Galahad, Gawain, and the other â€Å"Knights of the Round Table.† These include the Lancelot (late 12th century) of Chrà ©tien de Troyes, the anonymous Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (late 14th century), and Thomas Malorys prose romance (1485). Popular literature also drew on themes of romance, but with ironic or satiric intent. Romances reworked legends, fairy tales, and history to suit the readers (or, more likely, the hearers) tastes, but by 1600 they were out of fashion, and Miguel de Cervantes famously burlesqued them in his novel Don Quixote. Languages of Love Originally, romance literature was written in Old French, Anglo-Norman and Occitan, later, in English and German. During the early 13th century, romances were increasingly written as prose. In later romances, particularly those of French origin, there is a marked tendency to emphasize themes of courtly love, such as faithfulness in adversity. During the Gothic Revival, from c. 1800 the connotations of romance moved from the magical and fantastic to somewhat eerie Gothic adventure narratives. Queste del Saint Graal (Unknown) The Lancelot–Grail, also known as the Prose Lancelot, the Vulgate Cycle, or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is a major source of Arthurian legend written in French. It is a series of five prose volumes that tell the story of the quest for the Holy Grail and the romance of Lancelot and Guinevere.   The tales combine elements of the Old Testament with the birth of Merlin, whose magical origins are consistent with those told by Robert de Boron (Merlin as the son of a devil and a human mother who repents her sins and is baptized). The Vulgate Cycle was revised in the 13th century, much was left out and much was added. The resulting text, referred to as the Post-Vulgate Cycle, was an attempt to create greater unity in the material and to de-emphasize the secular love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere. This version of the cycle was one of the most important sources of Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Unknown) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written in Middle English in the late 14th-century and is one of the best known Arthurian stories. The â€Å"Green Knight† is interpreted by some as a representation of the â€Å"Green Man† of folklore and by others as an allusion to Christ. Written in stanzas of alliterative verse, it draws on Welsh, Irish and English stories, as well as the French chivalric tradition. It is an important poem in the romance genre and it remains popular to this day. Le Morte DArthur by Sir Thomas Malory Le Morte dArthur (the Death of Arthur) is a French compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of traditional tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. Malory both interprets existing French and English stories about these figures and also adds original material. First published in 1485 by William Caxton, Le Morte dArthur is perhaps the best-known work of Arthurian literature in English. Many modern Arthurian writers, including T.H. White (The Once and Future King) and Alfred, Lord Tennyson (The Idylls of the King) have used Malory as their source. Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris (c. 1230) and Jean de Meun (c. 1275) The Roman de la Rose is a medieval French poem styled as an allegorical dream vision. It is a notable instance of courtly literature. The works stated purpose is to entertain and to teach others about the Art of Love. At various places in the poem, the Rose of the title is seen as the name of the lady and as a symbol of female sexuality. The other characters names function as ordinary names and also as abstractions illustrating the various factors that are involved in a love affair. The poem was written in two stages. The first 4,058 lines were written by Guillaume de Lorris circa 1230. They describe the attempts of a courtier to woo his beloved. This part of the story is set in a walled garden or locus amoenus, one of the traditional topoi of epic and chivalric literature. Around 1275, Jean de Meun composed an additional 17,724 lines. In this enormous coda, allegorical personages (Reason, Genius, etc.) hold forth on love. This is a typical rhetorical strategy employed by medieval writers. Sir Eglamour of Artois (Unknown) Sir Eglamour of Artois is a Middle English verse romance written c. 1350. It is a narrative poem of about 1300 lines. The fact that six manuscripts and five printed editions from the 15th and 16th centuries survive is evidence for the case that Sir Eglamour of Artois was likely quite popular in its time. The story is constructed from a large number of elements found in other medieval romances. Modern scholarly opinion is critical of the poem for this reason, but readers should note that â€Å"borrowing† material during the Middle Ages was quite common and even expected. Authors made use of the humility topos in order to translate or re-imagine already popular stories while acknowledging original authorship. If we view this poem from a 15th-century perspective as well as from a modern standpoint, we find, as Harriet Hudson argues, a romance [that] is carefully structured, the action highly unified, the narration lively† (Four Middle English Romances, 1996). The action of the story involves the hero fighting with a fifty-foot giant, a ferocious boar, and a dragon. The hero’s son is carried off by a griffin and the boy’s mother, like Geoffrey Chaucers heroine Constance, is carried in an open boat to a distant land.

Ethics and Decision Making Essays

Ethics and Decision Making Essays Ethics and Decision Making Essay Ethics and Decision Making Essay CHAPTER I WHAT IS ETHICS? Each society form a set of rules that establishes the boundaries of general accepted behavior. These rules are often expressed in statements about how people should behave, and they fit together to form the MORAL CODE by which a society lives. The term MORALITY refers to a social conventions about right and wrong that are so widely shared that they become the basis for an established consensus. DEFINITION OF ETHICS: ETHICS – is a set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior within a society. Ethical behavior conforms to generally accepted norms-many of which are almost universal. VIRTUES – are habits that incline people to do what is acceptable. VICES – a re habits if Unacceptable behavior. THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY: Your moral principles are statements of what you believe to be rules of right conduct. A person who acts with integrity acts in accordance with a personal code of principles. One of the cornerstones of Ethical behavior- is to extend to all people the same respect and consideration that you expect to receive from others. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MORALS, ETHICS, AND LAWS MORAL’s are one’s personal beliefs about right and wrong while the term ETHICS describes standards or codes of behavior expected of an individual by a group to which an individual belongs. LAW is a system of rules that tell us what we can and cannot do. ETHICS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD Ethics has risen to the top of the business agenda because the risks associated w ith inappropriate behavior have increased, both in their likelihood and in their potential negative impact. Several trends have increased the likelihood of unethical behavior. 1st- greater globalization nd – in today’s necessionary economic climate, organizations are extremely challenge to maintain profits. WHY FOSTERING GOOD BUSINESS ETHICS IS IMPORTANT 1. Gaining the good will of the community. 2. Creating an organization that operates consistently. 3. Fostering good business practices. 4. Protecting the organization and its employees from legal action. 5. Avoiding unfavorable publicity. GAINING THE GOOD WILL OF THE COMMUNITY Although organization exist primarily to earn profits or provide services to customers, they also have some fundamental responsibilities in a formal statement of their company’s principles or beliefs. CREATING AN ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES CONSISTENTLY Organizations develop and abide by values to create an organizational culture and to define a consistent approach for dealing with the needs of their stakeholders, employees, customers, suppliers and the community. Many companies share the following values: Operate with honesty and integrity Operate according to standards of ethical conduct, in words and action Treat colleagues, customers, and consumers with respect Strive to be the best at what matters most to the organization Value diversity Make decisions based on facts and principles Protecting the Organization and it’s Employees from Legal Action In a 1909 ruling the U. S. Supreme Court established that an employer can be held responsible for the acts of it’s employees even if the employees act in a manner contrary to corporate policy and their employer’s directions. Avoiding Unfavorable Publicity The public reputation of a company strongly influences the value of its stock, how consumer regard it’s product and services, the degree of oversight it receive from the government agencies, and the amount support and cooperation it receives business partners. Fostering Good business practices In many cases, good ethics can mean good business and improved profits. Companies that produce safe and effective products avoid costly recalls and lawsuits. Companies that provide excellent service retain their customers instead of losing them to competitors. Improving Corporate Ethics Only one in four organizations has s well-implemented ethics and compliance program. Characteristics of a successful ethics program; Employees are willing to seek advice about ethics issues Employees feel prepared to handle situation could read to misconduct Employees are for ethical behave Employees feel positively about their company Appointing a Corporate Ethics Officer Provides an organization with vision and leadership in the are of business conduct. Organization send a clear message to employees about the importance of ethics and compliance in their decision about who will be in charge of the effort an to whom that individual will report. Specific responsibilities include; Responsibility for compliance- that is ensuring the ethical procedures are put into place and consistently adhered to throughout the organization. Responsibility to creating and maintaining the ethics culture that the highest level of corporate authority. Responsibility for being a key knowledge and contact person on issues relating to corporate ethics and principles. Ethical Standard set by Board of Directors The board of directors is responsible for the careful and responsible management of an organization. The board fulfills some of it’s responsibilities directly and assign others to various committees. Establishing a Corporate Co de of Ethics A code ethics is a statements that highlights the organization key ethical issues and identifies the overarching values and principles that are important to the organization and its decision making. Example; Intel Conducting Social Audits An organization reviews how well it is meeting its ethical and social responsibility, goals, and communicates its new goal for the upcoming year. Requiring Employees to take Ethics Training Today, most psychologists agree that the ancient Greek philosophers believed that personal conviction about right and wrong behavior could be improved through education. Lawrence Kohlberg, the late Harvard psychologist, found that many factors stimulate person’s moral development, but one of the most areas is education. Creating an Ethical Work Environment Most employees want to perform their jobs successfully and ethically but good employer sometime make bad ethical choices. Including Ethical Consideration in Decision Making Develop a Problem Statement A problem statement is a clear, concise description of the issue that needs to be addressed. One must gather and analyze facts to develop a good problem statement. Seek information and opinions from a variety of people to broaden your frame of reference. Identify Alternatives The stage of decision making, it is ideal to enlist the help of others, including stakeholders to identify several alternatives solutions to the problem. During brainstorming process tries not to be critical of ideas. Evaluate and Choose Alternatives Evaluating based on numerous criteria such as effectiveness at addressing the issue, the extent of risk associated with each alternatives cost, and time implementation. The alternative selected should be ethically and legally defensible: be consistent with the organization’s policies and codes of ethics; take into account the impact on others; and, of course provide a good solution to the problem. Four common approaches to ethical decision making Approach dealing to moral issues : Principles Virtue ethics approach the ethical choice best reflects moral virtues in yourself and in your community. Utilitarian Approach the ethical choice produce the greatest excess of the benefits over harm. Fairness Approach the ethical choice treats everyone the same and shows no favor or discrimination. Common Good Approach the ethical choice advances the common goods. Virtue Ethics Approach The virtue ethics approach to decision making focuses on how you should behave and think about relationship if you are concerned with your daily life I a community. It can also be applied to the business world by equating the virtues of a good businessperson. Utilitarian Approach The utilitarian approach to the ethical decision making states that you should choose the action or the policy that has the best overall consequences for all the people who are directly or indirectly affected. Fairness Approach The fairness approach focuses o how fairly and policies distribute benefits and burdens among all people affected by the decision. Common Good Approach The common good approach to decision making is based on a vision of society as a community whose member work together to achieve a common set of values and goals. Implement Decision Once the alternatives are selected, it should be implemented in an efficient, effective and timely manner. Evaluate the Results Monitor the results to see if the desire effect was achieved, and observed the impact on the organization and the various stakeholders.

Survey Graphing Ideas for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Graders

Survey Graphing Ideas for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Graders As early as kindergarten, students are required to take and analyze surveys. In the younger grades, analyzing graphs can be done on calendars. For instance, each day the children will record the type of weather based on a few weather symbols (cloudy, sunny, rainy foggy etc.) The children are then probed for questions like, How many rainy days have we had this month? or What type of weather have we mostly had this month? The teacher will also use the chart paper to record data about the children. For instance, graph the type of shoe children are wearing. On the top of the chart paper, the teacher will have buckles, ties, slip on, and velcro. Each student would put a tick mark on the type of shoe they are wearing. Once all children have identified the type of shoe they are wearing, the students will then analyze the data. These skills are early graphing and data analyzing skills. As students progress, they will take their own surveys and graph their results. Students need to be taught that there is a variety of ways to record their results. Here are a few ideas to promote graphing and surveying skills. Survey Ideas for Students to Graph and Analyze Survey the type (genre) of books people like to read.Survey how many musical instruments a person can list.Survey a favorite sport.Survey a favorite color or number.Survey favorite pets or types of animals.Survey the weather: temperature, precipitation or type of day (hazy, windy, foggy, rainy etc).Survey a favorite TV show or movie.Survey favorite snack foods, soda flavors, ice cream flavors.Survey favorite holiday locations or favorite all-time holiday.Survey favorite subject in school.Survey number of siblings in a family.Survey amount of time spent watching TV in a week.Survey amount of time spent playing video games.Survey the number of countries people have been.Survey what classmates want to be when they grow up.Survey the types of ads that come on TV over a period of time.Survey the different color of cars that drive by over a specific period of time.Survey the types of ads found in a specific magazine Graphing and Analyzing Survey Data When children have the opportunity to take opinion polls/surveys, the next step is to analyze what the data tells them. Children should try to determine the best way to organize their data. (Bar graph, line graph, pictograph.) After their data is organized, they should be able to state specifics about their data. For instance, what happens the most, the least, and why do they think that is. Eventually, this type of activity will lead to the mean, median, and the mode. Children will require ongoing practice taking polls and surveys, graphing their results, interpreting, and sharing the results of their polls and surveys.

Art in the Stone Age Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Art in the Stone Age - Research Paper Example The essay "Art in the Stone Age" discovers Stone Age's art. Despite the fact that there is no ‘written’ record of these people and their beliefs, the artwork they produced reveals much about the way they thought, what they believed and the technologies they had developed for the easing of everyday concerns or needs. Although both the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods are named for the dependence upon stone as the primary material for everything from tools to shelters, these two eras are distinctly different in the ideas expressed and the technologies mastered evidenced in their artwork as these objects were created. Although it is traditionally thought these two eras are easily marked by a profound shift in social development, this study will show that Paleolithic cave paintings are a highly innovative technology reveling a society far more advanced that previously thought. According to Phillip Myers (1904), early Paleolithic art is essentially non-existent. Based upon t hose items that have been found, the early Paleolithic period is marked by a concentration on the production of chipped flint tools with an occasional use of bones, horns, tusks or other material to assist in cutting, scraping and other survival needs. â€Å"What we know of Paleolithic man may be summed up as follows: he was a hunter and fisher; his habitation was a cave or rock shelter; his implements were in the main roughly shaped flints; he had no domestic animals save possibly the dog and the reindeer; he was ignorant.

Water pollution in India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Water pollution in India - Essay Example India is the 2nd most populous country in the world and the 7th largest by size, India's economy has been galloping along at 9.43% per annum for the last couple of years, agriculture accounts for 43% of the geographical area of India and the rest is allocated to industries and domestic living. The market for drinking water is potentially a gold mine waiting to be dug because this is one of the most populous countries in the world and is right there at the top in terms of geographical size. The water pollution has been on the rise ever since India started opening up its economy because then by default the demand for each and every product increased because of increasing globalization and hence it can be said that the standard of living has risen and this has caused even more pollution because this sets off the industrial process even more rigorously because demand even increases locally and hence more has to be produced and because of that more income is generated. Agriculture though has been on the decline in India but still 60% of the labor force is involved in agriculture and hence fertilizers and other synthetic materials are being used which increase the dangers of polluting the ground water. Another concern is the alarming rate at which India's population has been increasing, this is a cause of concern because the domestic waste produced is another major cause of polluting the water resources and also a growing population means that more people need access to drinking water but it also means that there would be much more pollution and hence lesser drinking water available for every one in the country. The government has been trying to do all it can to stop the industrial pollution by giving certain advantages to factories who install systems through which water pollution is lessened but to date it has failed to implement it on a large scale. Costs and benefits: There is a debate in the Indian sub continent that should water be commercialized or not because it is just a lucky few that have the means of buying water that has been commercialized and the others have to make do with the same unhygienic, unclean water which is hazardous for health. But the flip side of the argument is that the government has failed to deliver on this front and hence private companies have taken over and off course they would do so only if there is a profit, but what if these companies stop providing the clean water that they are currently providing Then each and every one would have to resort to the same unclean water and as a result the percentage of people falling ill from water borne diseases would increase and hence as a result the cost for the government would go up, so there is plenty of potential in the commercialized water sector and the time is now. Plan: The firm in question can do one of two things, first, it can set up its own distillation plant and take the initiative to bottle the water it self and hence it will have to inadvertently advertise to compete with the products that are already available on the market and hence this might create problems because a brand image of the previous companies would have been formed where as the new firm would have to advertise on a big scale to take its share of the market that would mean that the costs are high right from the start and the competitors might even engage in drastic cuts in prices and the firm in question will not be able to compete with the established firms on the basis of costs because the established firms will be experiencing economies of scale because of their greater experience in this certain kind of a market. The other option available to this firm is to operate its distillation plant and supply this water to another firm that has already been established in this particular industry. This would make things a lot simpler because due to this the firm can

How U.S. States Can better Fix Immigration problem Essay

How U.S. States Can better Fix Immigration problem - Essay Example The Task Force on US Immigration Policy mentions that there is a continuing failure on devising and implementing a functional immigration policy, which could eventually threaten the country’s economy, diplomacy and national security (Council on Foreign Relations 3). Unfortunately, other factors contribute to the prolonging of the problem, such as issues like â€Å"polarized institutions, unfair media coverage, complex public opinion, and difficulties in the administrative implementation of border enforcement and legal justice† (West xiii). In addition, the fact that most policies are hurriedly implemented just to solve the immigration problem quickly does not give enough merit for saying that the current policies are well enough to serve the nearly 12 million illegal immigrants residing in the country. Currently there are four issues that needed to be addressed in order to create possible solutions to the illegal entry of immigrants into the country, and these are: enha nced border security; identifying and tagging all undocumented migrants; addressing the gaps existing in the current United States immigration process; and developing a vigorous guest worker program (Cong. Rec. 2007, pt. 14780). Among the four issues mentioned, there should be greater focus on amending the current existing guest worker programs both on the employers’ side and the workers’ side, since work and income generation are considered to be the primary reasons why there have been a greater number of migrants entering the country. Source of the Problem The large numbers of immigrant workers can be traced to the remaking of the American Immigration Policy enacted in 1965, which enabled immigrants to allow their families to live with them since it was believed that an intact family creates productive and educated citizens (West 23). However this law was unable to foresee potential problems and long-term effects, and it came to terms that even non-immediate family m embers were also included in the immigration processes. Also, other problems became apparent when there were not enough visas to allow other immigrants that could possibly contribute economic and scientific growth such as scientists and business-owners, caused by the influx of extended family members applying for visas (36). Instead of achieving growth and development of industries, liabilities increased since not all family members that immigrated were able to become productive citizens once they entered the country. The problem also increased when numerous migrants tried crossing borders due to conflicts in their home countries that created security problems and financial instabilities. Other issues arose such as some business and farm-owners in the country opting to hire workers that illegally came to the country since they could save much more money by not paying them the minimum wages and withholding other benefits such as social security and health insurance, while still getti ng the work done properly (Kankam-Da-Costa 217). The only possible solution for these problems is to create stringent measures during hiring processes, as well as providing sanctions for employers that would try by-passing current policies in hiring by short-changing both their employers and the government. Proposed Solution to Prevent Increasing Illegal Migrant Workers Currently, U.S has guest worker prog

How did race, class and gender intersect in the imperial enterprise Essay

How did race, class and gender intersect in the imperial enterprise - Essay Example The trendy of masculinity based on professionalism, rhetoric of militarism, as well as elitism enhanced a set of attitudes and personalities to fit in the structure of imperial legitimacy in conjunction with racial dominance. Moralists at the fin-de-siecle hitherto supporters of a specific brand of inflexible gender concepts of manliness responsible for the perpetuation of a society that had a hierarchical framework. The spread of rigid gender ideologies worked to maintain power and privilege both abroad for instance in South Africa and at home. The socio-sexual framework during the Victorian Britain regime came of the intersection through race, gender, and class and in the process informed the outlined power structures that acted on behalf of the nexus of the bigger political enterprises. In the end, the rise of masculine culture in an inflated manner happened simultaneously with the exposure of the proverbial Achilles Heel for Britain. These were the vulnerabilities of the colonial mastery resulting from strong and brave claims for the power of the British. The British officers acted as competitive, aggressive, and powerful figures (Perry, 2001, p. 33). This is the reason various forums continue to debate on national identity and the imperial rule associated with two reinforcing ideologies acting in a mutually inclusive way. The concepts in the discourse are the Empire and dominant masculinity. Scholars explain the symbiotic relationship between race, gender, and class born out of fear concerning the decline of the British superior race. A series of movies, a huge quantity of literature, and a wide range of works of art often put into perspective colonization and the entire process of forming empires among them the British Imperial enterprises as male dominated adventure stories. The imperial enterprises entailed maleness (Stoddard, 2012, p. 89). However, according to the historians who studied gender, imperial maleness otherwise referred to as masculinity re quired regular and standardized substantiation and confirmation. Scholars who dwelt on the analysis of the empire found similar characteristics for the colonial rule that also constantly required confirmation and legitimization due to the permanent fear among the British white that subject in the colonial enterprises would undermine the racial as well as colonial privileges and prestige in addition to power and superiority of the colonial master. The forums of colonial discussions on gender appeared among the spaces of manifesting the instability and power structures of the empires were most visible. It is important to identify that competing interests of femininity and masculinity called maleness were significant to the normal order of the colonial master (Kent, 1987, p. 87).  However, it is not possible to comprehend them in isolation. Any analysis of the two in addition to race and class requires an overall undertaking of their history put into their contextual perspectives. Th e society constructed gender, race, and class in interplay with other categories as well themselves. They include religion, ethnicity, as well as sexuality. The intersection resulted in creating racial, sexual, and national hierarchies that provided the challenge or stabilized the imperial rule during the nineteenth and twentieth century. They intersection also offers challenge to the scholars of history to think and study

Commodity Trading in the United Kingdom Dissertation

Commodity Trading in the United Kingdom - Dissertation Example This research study examines how two of the largest commodity traders in the world, Vitol and Glencore International, conduct their commodity trading activities through the commodity exchanges in the United Kingdom and in its OTC market. The pit trading system of the years gone by is now replaced by electronic systems that receive orders from traders through the Internet to match these orders with other orders for execution of a transaction. In an electronic exchange the clearinghouse regulated by a supervisory body and the government acts as an intermediary, to deliver lower costs, security, reliability and a global reach for trading in commodity contracts and commodity derivatives. The OTC market in the United Kingdom is less strictly regulated than the exchanges listing commodity contracts and commodity derivatives, but this market offers flexibility for those with needs that standardised commodity listed contracts cannot satisfy. A literature review and semi-structured interviews with commodity traders with expert knowledge assist the research together with the case studies for Vitol and Glencore International. The research concludes that it is likely that the United Kingdom commodity market will continue to attract interest from all around the world with a promise for delivering more for less even into the future. Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 3 1.2 Objectives of the Research Study 6 Chapter 2 Literature review 8 2.1 The Impact of Electronic Trading on Commodities 8 2.2 Contracts on Commodity Exchanges 10 2.3 The Trading House and Trading Commission in Exchanges 11 2.4 The Financial Services Authority (FSA) 12 2.5 The London International Financial and Futures Exchange (LIFFE) 13 2.6 Trading on the LIFFE CONNECT 15 2.7 Buyers and Sellers on Electronic Exchanges 17 2.8 Types of Orders on the LIFFE CONNECT 18 2.9 Basics of Commodity Trading 21 2.10 Commodity Derivatives 22 2.11 Over-the-Counter Trades 23 2.12 Regulation of Commodity Tradin g 25 2.13 The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) 27 Chapter 3 Methodology 30 Chapter 4 Results of Semi-Structured Interviews 37 Chapter 5 Case Studies 44 5.1 Vitol Case Study 44 5.2 Case Study for Glencore International 47 Chapter 6 Analysis and Interpretation 51 Chapter 7 Conclusions and Recommendations 65 Appendix A - Questionnaire for Semi-Structured Interviews 69 Appendix B - Consent Form 74 Bibliography / References 76 List of Figures Figure 1: Change in Commodities Trading in the United Kingdom over the Years 53 Figure 2: Commodity Assets under Management in the United Kingdom 55 Figure 3: OTC Derivatives Trading in Commodities in the United Kingdom 56 Figure 4: Commodity Trading on Exchanges in the United Kingdom 57 Figure 5: A Comparison of Commodities, Stocks and Bonds in the United Kingdom 58 Figure 6: Breakdown of Exchange Traded Commodity Securities in the United Kingdom 60 Figure 7: Value of London Bullion Market Clearing 61 Figure 8: A Comparison of Lon g-Term Commodities Returns based on the Goldman Sachs Commodities Index 62 (This page intentionally left blank) Chapter 1 Introduction Agricultural commodities, minerals, crude oil, metals, natural gas and even energy in the form of electricity are among the fundamental inputs for production and consumption in all societies (Schaeffer, 2008, Pp. 1 – 5). Thus, resource commodity markets are vital for all regions and nations because these markets play a central role in economic development, international trade, and global economic and political stability. Commodity markets enable resource-producing nations to earn export revenues by linking

To what extent does the professional ideology of socially responsible Essay

To what extent does the professional ideology of socially responsible journalism serve the public interest Discuss with refere - Essay Example A biased information is not the final truth, and in the case where the media owner influences the kind of information to be issued, then the media fails in being independent (Uow.edu.au 2013). The norm of objectivity is made up of two components. One such component is depersonalization, which is a requirement stipulating that when issuing a report or information, a journalist should never express his or her own views, evaluations or believes for this may lead to delivery of biased information. The second component is balance, which involves presenting opinions of agents from both sides of a controversy, and by all means avoiding favoring one side. The policy of objectivity requires that when dealing with authoritative sources like politicians, journalist should report the views of these sources in a way that proves that they are not favoring any one side (Uow.edu.au 2013). The objectivity policy helps in making sure that the public is protected from biased information that may mislea d them when making decisions. Sometimes the information to be reported might not be in conjunction with their beliefs or evaluations, and the policy helps in presenting truth to the public during such instances. Under the responsible journalism system, the public enjoys transparency in different arms of the government and the corporate sector. Socially responsible journalism ensures that journalists working in different departments are careful about the kind of information they present to the public (Uow.edu.au 2013). Balance, which is part of the objectivity policy of journalism, helps in making sure that journalists give the exact information about any authoritative source of information like the government. Through their unbiased and truthful reporting of the activities of the government, journalists help in ensuring that the public is aware of the government’s progress, is a position to scrutinize as well as put the government in check. Such information becomes useful to the public when voting in the next government (Uow.edu.au 2013). The policy of objectivity helps in protecting the rights of the public. In most parts of the world, the greatest traitors and dictators have been rendered powerless by responsible journalism. Responsible journalism educates the public more about their rights and through such education, the public is able to ensure that they acquire their various rights and freedom as stipulated by the law. Sometimes when some governments fail to offer good leadership, the media comes in to serve the role of activists. This at times serves as good way of keeping the government in check, by inciting the public and of ensuring that the public enjoys good governance (Carr 2006). There are many instances in different parts of the world where a social responsible journalism system saves the day by giving the public the right information. Journalism being a source of information, analysis and comments on the current affairs, journalism as a f ield helps in many different roles in the modern society. The principal goal of almost every professional journalist is to serve the society by being transparent as he or she issues the right and true information to the public. Journalists also examine the way power is exercised by the elected or appointed leaders. Through this, they help in inspiring democratic

Commodity Trading in the United Kingdom Dissertation

Commodity Trading in the United Kingdom - Dissertation Example This research study examines how two of the largest commodity traders in the world, Vitol and Glencore International, conduct their commodity trading activities through the commodity exchanges in the United Kingdom and in its OTC market. The pit trading system of the years gone by is now replaced by electronic systems that receive orders from traders through the Internet to match these orders with other orders for execution of a transaction. In an electronic exchange the clearinghouse regulated by a supervisory body and the government acts as an intermediary, to deliver lower costs, security, reliability and a global reach for trading in commodity contracts and commodity derivatives. The OTC market in the United Kingdom is less strictly regulated than the exchanges listing commodity contracts and commodity derivatives, but this market offers flexibility for those with needs that standardised commodity listed contracts cannot satisfy. A literature review and semi-structured interviews with commodity traders with expert knowledge assist the research together with the case studies for Vitol and Glencore International. The research concludes that it is likely that the United Kingdom commodity market will continue to attract interest from all around the world with a promise for delivering more for less even into the future. Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 3 1.2 Objectives of the Research Study 6 Chapter 2 Literature review 8 2.1 The Impact of Electronic Trading on Commodities 8 2.2 Contracts on Commodity Exchanges 10 2.3 The Trading House and Trading Commission in Exchanges 11 2.4 The Financial Services Authority (FSA) 12 2.5 The London International Financial and Futures Exchange (LIFFE) 13 2.6 Trading on the LIFFE CONNECT 15 2.7 Buyers and Sellers on Electronic Exchanges 17 2.8 Types of Orders on the LIFFE CONNECT 18 2.9 Basics of Commodity Trading 21 2.10 Commodity Derivatives 22 2.11 Over-the-Counter Trades 23 2.12 Regulation of Commodity Tradin g 25 2.13 The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) 27 Chapter 3 Methodology 30 Chapter 4 Results of Semi-Structured Interviews 37 Chapter 5 Case Studies 44 5.1 Vitol Case Study 44 5.2 Case Study for Glencore International 47 Chapter 6 Analysis and Interpretation 51 Chapter 7 Conclusions and Recommendations 65 Appendix A - Questionnaire for Semi-Structured Interviews 69 Appendix B - Consent Form 74 Bibliography / References 76 List of Figures Figure 1: Change in Commodities Trading in the United Kingdom over the Years 53 Figure 2: Commodity Assets under Management in the United Kingdom 55 Figure 3: OTC Derivatives Trading in Commodities in the United Kingdom 56 Figure 4: Commodity Trading on Exchanges in the United Kingdom 57 Figure 5: A Comparison of Commodities, Stocks and Bonds in the United Kingdom 58 Figure 6: Breakdown of Exchange Traded Commodity Securities in the United Kingdom 60 Figure 7: Value of London Bullion Market Clearing 61 Figure 8: A Comparison of Lon g-Term Commodities Returns based on the Goldman Sachs Commodities Index 62 (This page intentionally left blank) Chapter 1 Introduction Agricultural commodities, minerals, crude oil, metals, natural gas and even energy in the form of electricity are among the fundamental inputs for production and consumption in all societies (Schaeffer, 2008, Pp. 1 – 5). Thus, resource commodity markets are vital for all regions and nations because these markets play a central role in economic development, international trade, and global economic and political stability. Commodity markets enable resource-producing nations to earn export revenues by linking

Porters Five Forces. External Environment Analysis of Southwest Term Paper

Porters Five Forces. External Environment Analysis of Southwest Airlines - Term Paper Example Threat of Entry Since the phase of deregulation, many new entrants have entered into the airlines industry in USA. 22 new airlines had been formed and another 43 of them has entered till 1982. Experts suggested that the industry had inefficient scale economies which supported the entry of numerous new entrants in the industry. However, since 1993 and during the recent years many of these start-ups have been consolidated, established and incorporated as large and major airlines. The high threat of new entry in the airlines industry in US also gets reflected through the fact that 8 major airlines existing in the market have become bankrupt merged with other companies or has simply vanished from the radar screen (Desai, Patel & Quach, 2002, p.4). Substitutes Trains, buses and cars account for major substitutes for air travel. However, the importance of trains and buses as substitute products has declined over the years. The Switching costs associated between air travel and its substitute services remain quite low; however, experts suggests that the importance of the substitutes are likely to change as per the customer type, route and reason for travel. For example, travelling through seas across US for long journeys would reduce ground transportation to a certain extent. Business travel could generate more flying demand while vocational travel could demand more driving. Due to the fact that leisure travellers are considered to be more price sensitive as compared to business travellers, they are more likely to use substitute services considering the opportunity costs incurred (Desai, Patel & Quach, 2002, p.4). Bargaining Power of Suppliers Employee bargaining powers are expected to vary according to unionization of employees or the charac teristics of employees. Wage rates have accounted for major operating expense of airlines leading to many union strikes during the post liberalization era. The bargaining powers of pilots have remained low since there are numerous pilots available in the market. Moreover, airplane manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing, enjoy high powers of bargaining since they huge switching costs are associated with changing the airplanes (Desai, Patel & Quach, 2002, p.4). Bargaining Power of Buyers The individual powers of buyers remain low because of the inability of the airline customers to coordinate and organize among themselves. The extent of price discrimination employed by airlines would also depend largely on routes and type of the customers. Routes which remain heavily flooded by different flights more likely to charge competitive prices because of the existence of substitute airlines. On the contrary the long distance flights which have less hubs and schedules are likely to be dominat ed by too many airlines and which consequently would charge exorbitant price from customers. Corporate discounting, i.e.,

Empowerment of the American Noncommissioned Officer Essay Example for Free

Empowerment of the American Noncommissioned Officer Essay The American Noncommissioned Officer of today is held in high esteem by the Military. The Military considers the American Noncommissioned Officer as the backbone of the Army. The Military also considers the Noncommissioned Officer as a Professional Soldier, a soldier with special skills and an experienced leader. The Noncommissioned Officer is a soldier that makes a career of the Military more so than the Commissioned Officers. The Noncommissioned Officer of today can be found beside their Commanding Officer or other Commissioned Officers. But this was not always so (Cited in Gates, Vuonon Introduction 1775). Individuals outside the Military consider the Noncommissioned Officer as lazy, not worth the time to educate or even to train. And they don’t have the same skills as a Commissioned Officer. A stigma they still carry today with those outside the Military. Most non-military individuals have no idea what the noncommissioned officer education status is or what their career goals are. In order to understand the evolution of the Noncommissioned Officer, let’s go back to the beginning and move forward. The History of the Noncommissioned Officer is long and spans from the Revolutionary War to Present day. The Revolutionary War is where they held the status of the regular enlisted man. The Noncommissioned Officers status would change somewhat during this War. Their worth would be tested on and off the field of battle. Revolutionary War In 1775 all Noncommissioned Officers were as regular enlisted men until, a change in regulation was constituted, (Cited in Hogan, Fisch, Wright 2005, p. 24). Baron Fredrick Wilhelm Steuben’s Contribution Baron Fredrick Wilhelm Steuben joined the Revolutionary Army as a volunteer. He possessed considerable military knowledge. He wrote the new regulation for the Noncommissioned Officer, â€Å"The regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States 1779†. Noncommissioned Officers were selected by and responsible to the Commanding Officer and subject to the Battalion or Regiment Commander. Steuben’s regulation aided the Noncommissioned Officer’s evolving role as Care Taker of Soldiers. Steuben found this area weak in the Revolutionary Army. Steuben’s regulation also introduced a new emphasis on the Noncommissioned Officers battlefield role. Enhancing his status and further distinguishing him from his British counterpart. Steuben’s system provided training the Noncommissioned Officer in leadership skills. Under this new regulation the Noncommissioned Officer now stood behind the Commissioned Officer. He did not fire Volleys, but saved his ammunition for the protection of the Captain or Lieutenant. Noncommissioned Officers thus became essential figures in linear tactics that survived until the Civil War (cited in Hogan, Fisch, Wright 2005). Battle of 1812 The professional military was viewed by the civilians as dregs and too lazy to grasp the opportunities of a civil way of life. Professional education was unknown beyond rudimentary on the job instruction by the company or regiment. Noncommissioned Officer’s in Artillery, engineers, medical, and signal corps received specialized training (cited in Hogan, Fisch, Wright 2005). Major General Anthony Wayne and Secretary of War Jefferson Davis Contributions Major General Anthony Wayne and Secretary of War Jefferson Davis made sure Noncommissioned Officers were not disciplined in front of their men. Davis supported the commissioning of officers from Noncommissioned Officers that could pass the exam. Not withstanding their comparative low status the Noncommissioned Officers played a very critical role in the Army of the New Nation (cited in Hogan, Fisch, Wright 2005 p. 26). The Civil War The dynamics of the Noncommissioned Officer changes during the Civil War in a lot of different ways. The Army of the Union looses a quarter of its Commissioned Officers to sympathy with the Confederacy and leave to serve in the Confederacy. Providing an opportunity for the Noncommissioned Officer’s to elevate their status on the battlefield. Another change they will have to overcome is the advancement in weapons, and a change in battlefield tactics. Muskets were replaced with the rifle musket. With better aim and accuracy casualties were horrendous. Linear tactics were outdated with the advancement of these weapons. Even more powerful weapons were introduced late in the Civil War, breech-loading rifle, Calvary carbine and the Gatlin Gun. This underscored the need for more open formations than were called for during the Revolutionary War. Unit Commanders gradually introduced such formations to reduce the vulnerability of their men, due to the volume and accuracy of enemy fire. Bvt. Major General Emory Upton prepared a manual, greater emphasis upon simplicity of maneuver. His instruction could be taught more easily by the Noncommissioned Officers to the new troops, shortening training time and increasing the soldier’s effective term of service. The gradual elimination of linear tactics after the Civil War redefined the Noncommissioned Officers combat leadership roles†. (p. 28-29) Technology revolution continued to sweep all the Armies, supplying both the infantry and artillery weapons with greater lethality. These weapons finally broke the use of close masses types of battle to a more open order of combat. As the aim and accuracy improved with these newer weapons close massed combat was no longer feasible. Open combat brought the Noncommissioned Officer the opportunity of small unit leadership. Now the Noncommissioned Officer is maintaining order in a more complex battlefield (Cited Hogan, Fisch, Wright 2005 p. 30). 1898-1902 Upton states a warning of the inadequacy of the Noncommissioned Officers training. These years till the end of the Century bring changes to the Noncommissioned officer. The need for better training is ignored and would have to wait until World War I (Cited Hogan, Fisch, Wright 2005). The United States is now becoming a super power. The Government and its Citizens now have interests overseas. World War I II to Present day World War I opens the landscape of the modern warfare. This war produces massive changes in weapons and technology. The weapons are the Springfield rifle, submachine gun and the automatic machine gun. The combustion engine is introduced to the battlefield. With this engine a new type of dynamics are introduced late in the war. With the invention of the combustion engine comes the airplane and the gas powered truck and later the armored Tank. During the World Wars, were the wars of the NCO’s of the specialized divisions. These NCO’s show their skills as specialists in Artillery and weapons. Trench fighting combat takes its toll on the NCO’s and to generate more personnel they enlist the help of the retired NCO’s to train stateside, to produce already efficient soldiers with experience. This trend continues through World War II. Closing The Empowerment of the Noncommissioned Officer has been throughout history, from the different battlefields that they have fought on to the advancement of weapons to new technologies. All these have contributed to their empowerment on, and off the fields of battle. And new regulations and new reforms in their status have also aided them. Here history must speak for itself. The Noncommissioned officers were trained and educated and were prepared for their empowerment throughout history. The NCO’s of today have earned their right to be called the professional soldier. Non military individuals will continue to think of the NCO’s as shiftless and lazy, until they have read what has been accomplished by the NCOs. But history will speak for them. In my opinion this trend of empowerment will continue well into the future as long as there are wars to be fought and new battlefields to conquer you can count on the Noncommissioned Officer will be there to fight for our freedom.

How To Achieve The American Dream

How To Achieve The American Dream How does one achieve the American Dream? The answer undoubtedly depends upon ones definition of the Dream. John Winthrop envisioned a religious paradise in a City upon a Hill. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of racial equality. Barack Obama holds the belief of reclaiming the American Dream. All men dreamed for what they perceived as perfection. Yet the question remains, how does one achieve this success? How is the Dream realized? Americans have traditionally devoted their efforts to thrift and hard work. During the Colonial Period, Benjamin Franklin showed an example that Early to Bed, and early to rise, makes a Man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Americans of the Early Republic dreamed the country to be democratic and powerful on world stage. Abraham Lincoln insisted that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. During Westward Movement and the Civil War, many Americans experienced profound hardship and they overcame adversity through industry, perseverance, self-reliance, and self-discipline. The popular rags to riches legend became a landmark of American society; anyone could succeed and achieve wealth if they worked hard. There is no denying that the shift away from the traditional American work ethic corresponded directly with the rise of industry. Work values changed dramatically when America became an industrial society. Many Americans no longer regard hard work as the only means to success. They want to cut corners in pursuit of wealth, fame and success. The results of their efforts can be imagined, no one can change his fate without hard work. They have to face the cruel reality that the dream turn out to be illusion. Chapter One Definition of the American Dream What is the American Dream? It has been a classical question asked not only by foreigners, but more often by Americans themselves. Many historians and sociologists tend to hold different opinions. At the same time, an ordinary American citizen cant define it accurately due to its complexity. That is to say, everyone has his own understanding of the definition of the American Dream. Taking many factors concerned into consideration, a conclusion can be achieved that the American Dream can be interpreted from two categories. Firstly, the maximum American Dream. It refers to the national dream that contains the desire for freedom, equality and democracy and to be a powerful country on world stage. On the other hand, the minimum dream. It belongs to the common people. For most of them, the American Dream turns out to be closely related to their daily life. It can be regarded as these specific goals, such as receiving higher education, living a happy life with good salary, keeping a good h ealth, and having a superior social status. In order to understand the abundant definitions of the American Dream, we have to comprehend the origin and development of the American Dream. It is the American people and history that shape the meaning of the American Dream. Since the birth of the United States in 1776, the definition of the American Dream has changed over the course of history. The origin of the American Dream can be traced back to the period of colonization. The American Dream is a national ethos in terms of the promise of prosperity and success. The ethos indicates the ability that everyone can gain his fortune and make progress through his participation and hard-work. With regard to the American Dream, this includes the possibility for ones children to grow up and receive a good education and career without artificial barriers. Its the opportunity to make individual choices without the prior restrictions that limit people with respect to their class, religion, race or ethnicity. Historian James Truslow Adams firstly put forward the phrase American Dream in his 1931 book Epic of America: The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, also too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position. He also wrote: The American Dream, which has lured tens of millions of all nations to our shores in the past century, has not been a dream of material plenty, though that has doubtlessly counted heavily. It has been a dream of being able to grow to fullest development as a man and woman, unhampered by the barriers which had slowly been erected in the older civilizations, unrepressed by social orders which had developed for the benefit of classes rather than for the simple human being of any and every class. Martin Luther King Jr. in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail stated that the civil rights movement was in the quest for the black peoples American dream: We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands. . . . when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters they were in reality standing up for what is best in the American dream and for the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage, thereby bringing our nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in their formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The president Barack Obama delivered his victory speech after he won the presidential campaign: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. Chapter Two Origin of the American Dream 2.1 A New Land In 1492, Columbus finished his voyage with the support from the King of Spain. He believed that by sailing west from Europe, he could reach Asia. He never succeeded, but instead he landed on the islands in the Caribbean Sea and discovered the New World. This great geographic discovery of the New World opened the door to European settlers. In 1497, an Italian sailor, John Cabot who was financed by the English King, arrived in todays Canada. Soon the English King claimed that the whole of the territory of North American belonged to England. In order to enforce this claim, the Englishmen began to establish permanent settlements in North America. The early 17th century was the beginning of a great tide of emigrates from Europe to North America. Spanning more than three hundred years, this movement grew from a trickle of a few hundred English colonists to a flood of millions of newcomers. Impelled by powerful and diverse motivations, many European emigrates left their homelands for the New Land. Most of them tried to escape economic and political oppression, to seek the freedom to practice their religion, or to find opportunities denied them at home. 2.2 Europe in the 16th and 17th century During the Middle Ages, Europe was under the single spiritual authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The feudal system prevailed during this period of time. The peasants were tied to the soil and had to suffer the economic and political oppression. Merchants and craftsmen were handicapped by the social disorders. By the 16th century, some new and powerful social forces began to emerge which led to great changes in Europe and the development of America. First of all, its the development of capitalism. Take the historical event Enclosure Movement for instance. The Commercial Revolution had created a burgeoning textile industry, which demanded an increasing supply of wool to keep the looms running. Landlords enclosed farmlands and evicted the peasants for the purpose of sheep cultivation. Colonial expansion turned to be an outlet for these displaced peasant population. The second major force that brought about the modern development of Europe was the Renaissance, which was marked by a changing outlook on life. The Renaissance spoke highly of the nature of humanity. The God-centered world was challenged by the wide spread of science and technology. People began to be more confident in themselves and showed more interest in the world. The third influential force was the Religious Reformation, a religious reform movement that started from Germany, then spread over the continent of Europe. In 1517, Martin Luther argued that the Pope and church had no right to take advantage of the people for the remission of sins. He protested against the Catholic Church because of the power of abuse and corruption. Another man, John Calvin started his reform movement after Martin Luther. Calvinism soon prevailed in England and attracted many followers. In England, King Henry à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church on many political issues. On the other hand, he wanted to end his marriage with the Queen but without the permission from the Pope. At last, King Henry à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England, and he became the head of the Church of England himself. These religion reforms all challenged the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church which controlled peoples religious beliefs and interfered in political affairs of the nations. During the religious upheavals of the 16th century, a group of people who discontent in the Church of England and worked towards religious, moral and social reforms. They were called the Puritans. The puritans were deeply influenced by Calvinism and thought that the Church of England had become a product of political struggles and attempted to purify the Church. Such puritan beliefs were against the Church of England and undermined royal authority, so they were cruelly persecuted. Some of them were threw into prison and even executed for their religious beliefs. In order to escape persecution from Church and the King, many of the puritans came to North America. 2.3 The Early Settlement The first British permanent settlement was founded in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. This was organized by the London Company with a charter which King James à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚  granted. According to the Jamestown founder John Smith, he held the opinion that Heaven and Earth never agreed better to frame a place for mans habitation The second English settlement was established in Massachusetts Bay. It was founded by the puritans who separated themselves from the Church of England. In 1620, a small group of puritans took the ship Mayflower and left for North America. When they reached their destination, they drafted an agreement which was called the Mayflower Compact and was signed by all the men on board. The Mayflower Compact played a significant role in history. It was regarded as the first attempt of American democratic experience to set up a civil government for the public. More importantly, the far-reaching political principles set by the Compact laid down the foundations of the democratic government. The puritans hoped to build a city upon hill-an ideal community where they would live in strict with their religious beliefs and set an example for all of Christendom. The puritans had left rich cultural legacies to future Americans. The American values such as individualism, hard work, respect of education own very much to the puritan beliefs. 2.4 The American Revolution Through the 18th century, the maturing British North American colonies inevitably forged a distinct identity. By the early 1760s, the 13 colonies in North America had developed a similar American pattern in politics, economy and cultural life. At the same time, the population grew vastly and they had long years of self-government to deal with their own issues. In September 1774, the First Continental Congress, a meeting of colonial leaders who opposed British oppression in the colonies met in Philadelphia. These leaders urged Americans to disobey and boycott British ruling. At the same time, they began to organize militias to defend themselves. On April 19, 1775, the first shot was fired when 700 British soldiers went to capture a colonial arms depot in Lexington. Thus the American war of Independence began. 2.4.1 Common Sense In January 1776, Thomas Paine, a radical political theorist who had come to America from England in 1774 published a pamphlet Common Sense. Paine had already sensed the rise of tension and the spirit of rebellion. In the pamphlet, Paine attacked the hereditary monarchy, criticized the men who ruled as Kings, and called for the people to discard the loyalty to the King and the British Empire. He presented two choices -continued submission to a tyrannical King and an evil government, or liberty and happiness as a self-sufficient, independent republic. Common Sense soon came to be a best-seller, which greatly inspired the peoples awareness of independence. 2.4.2 Declaration of Independence In July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence which was drafted by Thomas Jefferson adopted by the Congress. The Declaration officially proclaimed the independence of 13 North America colonies: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. The Declaration not only announced the birth of a new nation, but also put forward with the idea of human freedom and democracy. The Declaration was deeply influenced by the Enlightenment political philosophy, especially from the English political philosopher John Locke. John Locke came up with the social-contract theory of government. Only a government based on popular consent could secure natural rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thomas Jefferson linked Lockes principles directly to the situation in the colonies. Thus, to fight for American independence was to fight on behalf of ones own natural rights. The War of Independence came to end in 1781 with the victory of North America. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 and the sovereignty of 13 colonies was acknowledged by British government. The new United States stretched west to the Mississippi River, north to Canada, and south to Florida. 2.5 Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the United States. He was born in a poor family that had little money to send him to school. He didnt graduate with two years school learning but he continued his education through greedy self-learning. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin vividly depicted his personal experience from a poor and lowliness boy to be a rich and famous man. All his progress he had made belonged to his own efforts to be excellent, the longing for success and the pursuit of magnificent moral. Benjamin Franklin was deeply influenced by the Enlightenment and Puritanism. He devoted himself to practice the values of thrift, hard work. He advocated democracy with self-governing institutions, and opposed to authoritarianism both political and religious. From the Autobiography, the process of realizing American Dream can be seen clearly. Undoubtedly, the meaning of Benjamin Franklins success goes far beyond himself, and is thought-provoking to many Americans. Franklin set a good example for other people to follow and his experience is the best explanation of the American Dream. Chapter Three Development of the American Dream 3.1 The Political System The Treaty of Pairs in 1783 recognized the independence of the United States and the former 13 colonies became 13 states of America. Although the Declaration of Independence proclaimed that 13 colonies are, and of right to be free and independent states, they had no idea about the future political system of the United States. They had to face the fact that a new nation couldnt grow well without a suitable and effective political system. 3.1.1The Federal Constitution When the American Revolution was over, the United States was not one unified nation as it is today. According to the Articles of Confederation, each state had its own government and handled all of its internal affairs. To make matters worse, the Congress didnt have the authority to ask any state to do anything. For example, it could not tax any citizen or to regulate commence among the states. Faced with domestic difficulties and outside challenge and threat from European powers, a more powerful and effective government was desperately needed in order to safeguard independence and freedom. Only in this way could each state work together and the country be powerful enough to protect the peoples interests. First of all, a Constitution was badly needed to replace the Articles of Confederation. The delegates from 12 states without Rhode Island attended the Constitution Convention in 1787. During the convention, James Madison, later the forth President of the United States, took a leading role with his remarkable contributions to the work of Constitution, and earned him the title Father of the Constitution. After over three months discussions, debates and compromises, the Constitution came out at last. The Preamble to the Constitution states the purpose of the government: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. 3.1.2 Three Branches of Government According to the Constitution, a federal system was set up with a strong central government. To protect the democracy and defend against a tyranny, the government consists of three parts, the executive, the legislative and the judicial. Each branch has powers that the others do not have and each branch has a way of limiting any wrongful action by another branch. This is called the principle of checks and balances 3.1.3 Bill of Rights The Constitution of 1787 didnt make it clear to protect individual rights. The calls for amendments protecting individual rights were quickly solved by Congress. In 1791, Congress adopted ten amendments to make them part of the Constitution. To all Americans, they are known as the Bill of Rights. According to it, Americans have the freedom of speech, press, religion and the right to assemble peacefully, protest and demand changes. 3.2 Westward Movement Westward Movement was one of the solemn and meaningful parts of American history. In the extension of American boundaries from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast, the nation occupied vast land in the middle and west. The frontier moved in a westward direction for nearly 300 years across the wilderness and barren plains. The road to the west was full of difficulties and danger, but these settlers went on and never gave up. Go west and grow with the county became a famous motto to these settlers. Once an English traveler described these frontier settlers as a daring, hardly race of men, who live in miserable cabin.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ They are unpolished but hospitable, kind to strangers, honest and trustworthyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Frederick Jackson Turner was one of the most renowned American historians and an advocate of Westward Movement. He declared that the frontier was significant in American history and made America more than an extension of Europe. It had created a nation with a culture that was different from Europe, not only more pragmatic and energetic, but also more emphasis on individuality and democracy. Its hard to believe that three centuries of Westward Movement had no impact on the national character. For the descendents of European, they explored the Wild West land with the purpose of making a better life. They were usually described as the pioneers of American, and full of courage and intelligence. They made remarkable progress to the development of the country. On the other hand, the negative effects of Westward Movement should not be ignored. There is no denying that Westward Movement was a bloody and brutal process. America pillaged the land of Texas, New Mexico and California through a war of conquest against Mexico. Its a nightmare for Native Americans because of the ruthless treatment from American whites. Also it caused the destruction of the natural environment in the west. 3.3 The Civil War During the 1850s, the issue of slavery severed the political bonds that held the United States together. The appeal for abolishing slavery had aroused deep concern all over the country. In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe published Uncle Toms Cabin; a novel portrayed the cruelty of slavery and pointed out the fundamental conflict between North and South. American had to face the fact that America was both a freedom-loving and slave-holding society. The issue of slavery had impeded the further development of the nation. Abraham Lincoln had long regarded slavery as an evil. He believed that slavery should be restricted and eventually abolished. In 1858, Lincoln declared that: A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved-I do not expect the house to fall-but I do expect it will cease to be divided. 3.3.1 Emancipation Proclamation Emancipation Proclamation was one of the greatest documents in American history. It played a significant role during the Civil War. The preliminary Emancipation Proclamation declared that all slaves in states rebelling against the Union were free. In practical terms, the proclamation had little immediate impact. It freed slaves only in the Confederate states, while leaving slavery intact in the Union. The final Emancipation Proclamation authorized the recruitment of African Americans into the union army. Emancipation Proclamation was just the beginning of the efforts toward abolishment of slavery. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution adopted in 1865 by Congress finally abolished slavery. 3.3.2 Gettysburg Address The Gettysburg Address is a speech by President Abraham Lincoln and is one of the best-known speeches in history. It was delivered at the dedication of the solders national cemetery in Gettysburg. Battle of Gettysburg was regarded as the turning point in the Civil War. Lincoln invoked the principles of human equality stated by the Declaration and redefined the Civil War as a struggle not merely for the Union, but as a new birth of freedom that would bring true equality to all of its citizens and ensure the survival of Americans democracy, that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. 3.4 A Society of Affluence Between two great wars-the Civil War and the First World War-the United States came of age. In a period of less than 50 years it was transformed from a rural country to an urban nation. Great changes had taken place around the country. The last decades of the 19th century were a period of imperial expansion for the United States. With the development of its power, America started to pursue its own national dream-to be a powerful country on the world stage. In order to safeguard its own interests, the United States had to stake out spheres of economic influence. More generally, the doctrine of manifest destiny first used to justify Americas expansion. Some Americans expressed their discontent with the character of modern life in the 1920s. The decade was called the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, or the era of flaming youth. World War I had overturned the traditional social and moral order. Mass prosperity enabled an open and hedonistic life style for the people. The aftermath of World War II exacerbated the ethical shift as a consumer culture blossomed and Americans became preoccupied with material goods. As one critic noted, consumed by desires for status, material goods, and acceptance, Americans apparently had lost the sense of individuality, thrift, hard work, and craftsmanship that had characterized the nation.The result of this shift in work ethic had actually spurred rather than lessened the peoples desire to achieve the American Dream. People lost their traditional values, beliefs and the motive force to success, and felt cheated by the society. They found that the dream in the past turned out to be an illusion; The American Dream didnt exist at all. 3.5 The Disadvantaged Groups In the United States, any group other than the dominant white Anglo-Saxon Protestant majority is a minority group in American society. These racial and ethnic minorities mainly refer to the blacks, Native Americans, the Hispanics, and Asian Americans. Although they are the minority groups, they should have been treated equal and own the rights as same as the whites. They also have their desires for the American Dream. Take the blacks for instance; their dreams were deeply rooted in the American dream. Although black slaves were emancipated as a result of the Civil War and granted basic civil rights according to the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, there was still a huge gap between the whites and blacks. During the mid-1950s, Civil Rights Movement reached its peak. Protest movement against racial segregation and discrimination became widespread in the southern America. This movement rooted in the centuries-long efforts of African slaves and their descendents to resist racial oppression and abolish the institution of slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He was famous for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination by the means of nonviolent methods. So he won his fame from the whole world and became a Nobel Peace Prize winner. King led the march on Washington, where he delivered his speech-I Have a Dream. From the words below, the cry for the blacks American dream was obviously expressed. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. 3.6 A New Age 3.6.1The American Dream under the economic crisis The financial crisis from 2007 until now is considered to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The collapse of the housing bubble triggered the economic crisis which resulted in the bankruptcy of large financial institutions and downturns in stock markets all around the world. It contributes to the large number of the unemployed, the decline of consumer wealth. Many families have no money to pay the debts of housing mortgage loan and lose the job to make a living. Americans have to face the fact that American Dream turned out to be an illusion once again. They have to sell out their cars and houses, cut down the expense of family and education for kids Home ownership is one of the most important symbols in the traditional American Dream. But now the owner of the house is turning to the slave of the house. The people are tired of tax cuts for the wealthy that shift the burden to the backs of working people. They are tired of waiting years for the increase of wage while CEOs pays are soaring. They are tired of living without health care and falling into poverty. 3.6.2 Barack Obama: Reclaiming the American Dream Barack Obama is the first African-American President in history. His story is regarded as an example of the American Dream. His father came from Kenya and mother was from Kansas. With the help from his grandparents, he was raised in Hawaii. Hard work and education were the means of getting ahead. The year of 2008 was not only the year of election, but also in the midst of economic crisis. Its a period of hard time for most of Americans. During the presidential election, a lot of Americans were deeply touched by Barack Obamas election slogan Change We Need. It aroused echoes in their hearts. Just as Obama said, The time has come to bridge the growing divide between Main Street and Wall Street. The American Dream is slipping out of reach. During the process of campaigning for President, Obama expressed the idea of reclaiming the American Dream many times. He believed that the American Dreams were worth fighting for because it belonged to every American. Its the dream of his grandfather who serviced in the army and moved his family west in search of opportunity. Its the dream of his grandmother who got up at dawn and worked twice as hard at her job because a woman had to work harder to go ahead. Its the dream of his father who crossed an ocean because America offered the light to him. Its the dream of his mother who was a single mom and knew the meaning of life. Chapter Four Comments on the American Dream The American Dream as the motive force has inspired Americans to chase the happiness and perfectness. On the other hand, theres no denying that the huge gap between dream and reality does exist. Many Americans have to face the fact that their dreams turn out to be nothing. After hundred years of development, the definition of American Dream has changed over the course of history. The spirit of thrift advocated by the Puritanism has been replaced by the extreme individualism. Many people and companies aspire to material wealth by hook or by crook regardless of justice and moral principles. America was founded on the principle of human equality, but in practice the nation has fallen far short of that ideal. The inequality is not simply a matter of distinctions between social classes. The class divisions often parallel racial and ethnical divisions. American society is dominated by Anglo-Saxon whites. They were the first settlers and quickly took control of economic assets and political power in America, and they have maintained this control until now. Immigrants from other nations have had to struggle hard to become assimilated into the mainstream of American life. Some have shared in the American Dream, but other disadvantaged groups have been excluded by different kinds of barriers from equal participation in American life. To a small number of people, they realize the American Dream and hav