PHI445 FInal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

PHI445 FInal - Assignment Example One thing each company or organization needs to be aware of is that as much as businesses evolve, so does ethical norms. It is therefore important for each company to have a constant update to its business ethics. Non Profit Company: The American Future Fund American Future Fund or AFF is an organization started back in 2008. Individuals working with Mitt Romney during the 2008 bid for the Republican US Presidency pioneered it as non-profit making organization. The fund â€Å"advocates conservative and free-market principles† (Jacobson, 2012). The organization was established under 501(c) (4) US tax code, it is therefore allowed by law to raise an unlimited amount of money, but restricted to use this money for campaigning as its primary purpose. Ethical Problems the organization is facing For non-profit making organizations, most of their ethical issues can be summarized into seven key problems. As outlined by Santicola, (2006) these issues include tainted money, compensation, privacy, stewardship, conflict of interest, impropriety, and honesty/full disclosure. Any organization that is directly involved in politics is likely to face many ethical problems in its line of operation. AFF is not an exception, and since its inception, it has faced a number of lawsuits relating to its ethics. The main problems include the use of tainted money, compensation, appearance of impropriety, and honesty and full disclosure. ... The Iowa Democratic Party was convinced that AFF was using tainted money in running the ads and filed for a complaint with Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure, to determine AFF’s donors. In February 2011, AFF faced another accusation by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), for tax violation. CREW seeks an investigation into AFF, where it has substantial evidence to question the organization’s honesty and disclosure. This suit also factors in other ethical issues that make the organization’s ethical standards questionable. Such issues include spending the organization's money to ask voters to vote against democrats, yet the mission of the organization is to support republicans to office. This is an appearance of impropriety since their methods may be arguable in court, but they are ethically inappropriate. AFF being a 501(c) (4) organization under US tax code, it is â€Å"allowed by law to raise an unlimited amount of money, but restricted to using this money for campaigning as its primary purpose†. In a bid to counter a decision made by Citizens United Supreme Court, AFF used more than $300 million to elect the 112th congress (CREW, 2011). This is a clear indication of compensation where the fundraisers of the organization are using donor funds for their own self-gain. With such claims directed towards the organization’s ethical standards, the organization is likely to face three major problems. First, the organization can end up being dissolved by the court if proven guilty of violating the tax code in its functions. Second, the organization ends u using many of its funds because of the various lawsuits that question its ethical standards. Thirdly, AFF is

ASQ Agile v Waterfall Essay Example for Free

ASQ Agile v Waterfall Essay Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Lisa Sieverts, PMP, PMI-ACP Phil Ailes, PMI-ACP Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Agenda †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What is a Project Overview –†¯ Traditional Project Management –†¯ Agile Project Management The Differences –†¯ Product Life Cycle –†¯ The Teams –†¯ Requirements –†¯ WBS/Product Backlog –†¯ Schedule –†¯ Risk –†¯ Quality QA 2  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 1 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management What is a Project? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Temporary †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Goal †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Constrained 3  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management What makes projects special? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Projects are characterized by uncertainty 4  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 2 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Traditional Waterfall Projects †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Traditional Waterfall Projects –†¯ Dates from the end of WWII –†¯ Grew out of Defense industry –†¯ Based on Deming Cycle of Plan-Do-Check-Act –†¯ Emphasizes heavy up-front analysis –†¯ Lots of documentation –†¯ PMBOK versions 1-4  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Traditional Waterfall Project High Medium Requirements Low Optional High Design Medium Low Optional High Development Medium Low Optional High Testing Medium Low Optional High Deploy Medium Low Optional 6  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 3 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Waterfall Advantages 7  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Waterfall Advantages †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Established Processes- Project Management Body of Knowledge †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Management Controls †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ (Apparent) Predictability †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Great for low uncertainty/high dependency projects –†¯ Construction –†¯ Update of established product –†¯ Maintenance projects 8  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 4 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Waterfall Disadvantages 9  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Waterfall Disadvantages †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Sometimes is more about the Process than the Product †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Keeps the customer at bay – by the time they see the end results it may be too late †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Project teams often become rigid and resistant to change: â€Å"Those darn users keep changing their minds.† †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Long product development time 10  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 5 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Agile Project Management †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ The Agile Way –†¯ Experiments in the 1990s –†¯ Values self-organizing teams –†¯ No formal â€Å"project management† –†¯ Iterative approach –†¯ Flexible  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Manifesto †¢ The Agile Manifesto for Software Development –†¯ â€Å"We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Individuals and interactions over processes and tools †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Working software over comprehensive documentation †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Customer collaboration over contract negotiation †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Responding to change over following a plan –†¯ That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.† 12  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 6 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management The Agile Way Sprints – High Priority Features Integrate Test Sprints – Low Priority Features Integrate Test Integrate Test Design Test Test Develop Integrate Test Demo Feedback Develop Requirements Test Test Develop Sprints – Optional Priority Features Demo Feedback Requirements Design Test Design Test Demo Feedback Develop Requirements Test Demo Feedback Requirements Design Test Sprints – Medium Priority Features 13  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Agile Advantages 14  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 7 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Agile Advantages †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Shorter development cycles †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Customer participates, providing direct feedback †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Team-ownership – developers, testers, analysts and customers work together †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Process encourages and easily adapts to change †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Improved quality because testing is continuous 15  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Agile Disadvantages 16  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 8 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Agile Disadvantages †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Lack of established processes †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Management resistance to change †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Reduced (apparent) predictability †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Requires culture change †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ It’s new – there isn’t a lot to draw upon 17  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Project Life Cycle †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Traditional: waterfall –†¯Initiate –†¯Plan –†¯Define –†¯Design –†¯Build –†¯Test †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Agile Projects: iterative –†¯Envision –†¯Speculate –†¯Explore –†¯Adapt –†¯Close –†¯Repeat as necessary 18  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 9 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management The Team †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Waterfall –†¯Sponsor –†¯Product Manager –†¯Project Manager –†¯The Team – defined roles †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Agile –†¯Sponsor –†¯Product Owner –†¯Scrum Master –†¯The Team – variable roles 19  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management The Requirements †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Waterfall –†¯ Large Document –†¯ Formal, based on analysis –†¯ Performed by Business Analyst –†¯ Completed before any development begins †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Agile –†¯ Small Index Cards –†¯ User Stories, based on conversation –†¯ Performed by the Product Owner –†¯ Completed â€Å"just in time† 20  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 10 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management The Foundation Documents †¢ Waterfall –†¯ Work Breakdown Structure 100 % of Scope 21  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management The Foundation Documents †¢ Agile –†¯ The Product Backlog Roman Pichler, Agile Product Management 22  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 11 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management The Schedule †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Waterfall –†¯ Built before work begins –†¯ End date is often †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Agile –†¯ Rebuilt every sprint –†¯ End date evolves based on team velocity –†¯ Focused on nearterm accuracy –†¯ Emphasizes regular delivery of working features predetermined –†¯ Strives to predict the future –†¯ Emphasizes delivery of the entire product 23  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Risk †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Waterfall –†¯ Inherently high-risk based on long product cycles –†¯ Emphasizes the ability to predict the future –†¯ Risk Register †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Agile –†¯ Inherently low-risk based on customer feedback –†¯ Emphasizes adaptation to changing environment –†¯ Risk Register 24  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 12 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Quality †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Waterfall –†¯ Testing is at the end †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Agile –†¯ Testing begins before development of the project –†¯ Testers work separately from developers –†¯ User Acceptance occurs at the end of the project –†¯ Testers and developers work together simultaneously –†¯ User Acceptance occurs at end of every sprint 25  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management What’s Different? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Waterfall –†¯ Plan all in advance –†¯ Work Breakdown Structure –†¯ Functional specs –†¯ Gantt chart –†¯ Status reports –†¯ Deliver at the end –†¯ Learn at the end –†¯ Follow the plan –†¯ Manage tasks †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Agile –†¯ Plan as you go –†¯ Product Backlog –†¯ User stories –†¯ Release plan –†¯ Story boards –†¯ Deliver as you go –†¯ Learn every sprint –†¯ Adapt everything –†¯ Team ownership 26  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 13 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Summary †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Both Waterfall and Agile have the same goals: –†¯ Delivering a well- tested product that satisfies the customer within an efficient time frame that doesn’t leave the team worn out 27  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Questions 28  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 14 Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Thank You 29  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes Waterfall vs. Agile Project Management Contact Us †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Lisa Sieverts –†¯ Facilitated Change –†¯ www.lisasieverts.com –†¯ 603.762.0235 †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Phil Ailes –†¯ Ailes Consulting –†¯ www.ailes-consulting.com –†¯ 603.903.7051 30  ©Lisa Sieverts Phil Ailes 15

Media And Politics: Agenda Setting And Framing Essay -- essays researc

How has media influenced public perception of political figures, issues, and institutions? Through agenda setting and framing, media has the power to set the agenda for political discussion by providing public attention to political figures, issues, and institutions. In addition, the media can frame political agendas by influencing public perception and interpretation. (Ginsberg, Lowi & Weir, 1999) Agenda Setting and Framing Political Figures and Candidates In campaigning, media coverage plays a large role for candidates. They use the media to make their name heard and image seen. â€Å"Nearly everything a candidate does is geared toward the media, especially television† (Stuckey, 1999, p. 99) Candidates make appearances on talk shows, televise town hall meetings, and press conferences. Their agenda is not the issues they present or their positions on them, but to gain media attention. If the candidates do not present interesting visuals or dramatic news, than the media can pull the plug from underneath them. â€Å"The media has a good deal of discretion over how individuals are allowed to portray themselves† (Ginsberg, Lowi & Weir, 1999, p. 298). In addition, the media has control over how they portray an individual. Thus, political figures are framed by the media. The media can set the image for a political figure or candidate, sealing their approval or disapproval for them and cementing that image toward the audience. The media can make certain political figures or candidat...

Africanisation of south African Ratiling Essay

The internationalisation of retail businesses has become a global phenomenon as retailers around the world expand their operations beyond national borders. This phenomenon has attracted some academic attention. In Africa, South Africa appears to be more advanced in this regard, with Shoprite at the forefront of the Africanisation of South African retailers. A review of Shoprite’s expansion into the continent results in two propositions and some challenges that affect this process. The wider significance of the propositions is further examined by a study of other South African retailers expanding into Africa. The review finds that although there are opportunities for retailers in African countries, there are also significant challenges that can negate the opportunities. Most importantly, the chosen mode of entry into African countries plays a significant role in the overall internationalisation process and should be a primary concern of management teams considering making such a move, and it is established that the mode of entry comprises at least five areas of critical decision making. Key words: Africanisation, retailing, international retailing, South African retailing, African markets, mode of entry, ICTs, international business. INTRODUCTION Since 1994, South Africa has moved to become part of  the African continent, even to the point that it developed  1  and championed an African agenda . This move opened  up opportunities for South African businesses within the  continent. In this regard, leading South African retailers  (including Shoprite, Woolworths, Massmart, Truworths)  have already invested in, and now operate in diverse  African countries. In the past decade, the continent has  also seen shopping centres and malls built in most  African cities, some of which are also South African  investments (Miller, 2006). There is still huge potential for all kinds of South African businesses to expand within the  continent, and there are benefits for all concerned. Already the six primary sectors of the South African  economy: mining, retail, construction and manufacturing,  financial services, telecommunications, and leisure and  *Corresponding author. E-mail: naadakora@gmail.com. 1 African agenda in this case refers to former president Mbeki’ s vision of an African renaissance, and the establishment of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). tourism, are in one way or another investing in the  continent (Daniel et al., 2003). Furthermore, the  completion of the SEACOM’s East African submarine  cable and the up coming West African cable system that  will provide fibre optic connection from Africa to the rest  of the world will open more business opportunities on the  continent. It is, therefore, not surprising to see an  increasing number of South African retail companies  expanding into the rest of the continent to seek growth  and explore new strategic opportunities.  The Shoprite Group operates its own stores in 15  African countries outside South Africa, including Angola,  Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius,  Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania,  Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Shoprite, 2008). The  group’s operations have been generally successful in  most of these countries and in some cases income has  exceeded their projections and expectation s. This  performance has triggered numerous growth and  expansion plans for most of the countries listed above.  For example, with the opening of one supermarket in  Accra, Ghana (in November, 2007), the group  immediately started investigating the possibility of  opening five more stores around the Accra area  (Shoprite, 2008). This report also indicates that their  Dakora et al. African operations have produced higher turnover growth than their South African counterparts. However, this is not the case with their operation in India where foreign retail ownership is forbidden by government regulations. Shoprite had to operate by means of franchising in Mumbai (Shoprite, 2008). Revenues do not match those achieved in Africa, highlighting the mode of entry as a key factor in the successful achievement of retail internationalisation. Yet, even in Africa, it has not all been easy. Due to lack of suitable acquisition targets and alliance partners, and given the informal nature of the retail sector in most African countries, they are obliged to open their own stores (Games, 2008). The Shoprite annual report (Shoprite, 2008) indicates that they are currently facing competition from other South African retailers who are also moving into Africa. For example Massmart, also expanding into Africa, will give Shoprite a run for its money in markets for hard goods. Also, as a consequence of their go-it-alone approach to Africanisation, Shoprite often does not gather enough market knowledge and contacts before entering and establishing a foothold in these new markets, which in itself becomes a problem (Games, 2008). There are also reports of supply issues haunting the company in its Africa operations. Nigeria is reported to have government-imposed import restrictions on some products. This is in a bid to protect the local economy and suppliers. Miller (2008) points out that the issue concerning local suppliers is politically controversial for South African companies operating in foreign African countries. Although South Africa has moved to be part of the continent and has championed an African agenda (as noted at the start of this paper), there are concerns that this commercial activity might become another form of colonisation. As a result, these companies have to demonstrate their support and participation in local development in those foreign countries or risk being accused of â€Å"exporting Apartheid† into Africa (Miller, 2008). Of course, the circumstances of each country might vary: Miller found that the Shoprite Group entered Zambia under favourable conditions that did not attempt to protect local producers and suppliers. Despite the increase in retail internationalisation in Africa led by the South African retailers, little research has been done in this area. This paper is a review based on a study of annual reports and other publicly available sources; it seeks to develop a foundation for more detailed case study work on the phenomenon. The paper discusses how the Shoprite Group’s expansion into Africa has been achieved, and how it secured its position as the largest food retailer on the continent. Two propositions concerning challenges affecting the decision of entry mode are established, based on the Shoprite study. The issues that inform these propositions are, however, limited to the results of the Shoprite’s review, and, therefore, preclude other issues that might be relevant to 749 the phenomenon but not obvious in this study. The propositions are further examined by looking at a range of other cases of South African retailers’ expansion into Africa. GENERAL PERSPECTIVE INTERNATIONALISATION ON RETAIL In recent years, the world of retailing has seen a dramatic increase in international activities by retailers around the world (Park and Sternquist, 2008; Myers and Alexander, 2007; Dawson and Mukoyama, 2006). The phenomenon of retail internationalisation has become an important feature of global business. As consumer products and services become global, and around the whole world consumers’ styles of consumption and attitudes increasingly become similar, retailers are prompted to respond to this trend. This results in the emergence of international (and in some cases global) retail companies (Federzoli, 2006). As Jack Shewmaker, director of Wal-Mart points out; â€Å"it is absolutely clear the biggest opportunity facing retailers [today] is internationalisation† (McGarriagle, 2008:12). In exploiting this window of opportunity, the world has seen retail businesses grow into multinational corporations contributing to economies on a worldwide basis. The rising levels of internationalisation among retail businesses can be attributed to three factors: growth in size, growth in technological sophistication and the need to respond to the changing demands and behaviours of customers (Myers and Alexander, 2007). However, retailing is geographically tied, and international companies must have a physical presence in the foreign countries concerned in order to conduct their business (Sternquist, 2007). According to Dawson and Mukoyama (2006), the internationalisation of retailing is evident in many ways including: the sourcing of products for resale, the operation of stores in foreign countries, the use of foreign labour, the adoption of foreign ideas and the use of foreign capital. There has been an increase in all these aspects in terms of volume and spatial reach, Dawson and Mukoyama indicate. This increase in retail expansion has continued across the world, characterised by large retail chains, mainly from the most developed countries, moving into less developed ones, and this has attracted some academic attention. However, most research in the area of retail internationalisation has focused on the developed world with little attention being paid to developing economies, especially those in Africa. Zhang and Dodgson (2007:336) observe that most research in the field of international business and entrepreneurship concentrates on â€Å"early internationalisation of firms based in developed countries, especially Europe and United States†. Where Africa is studied, little attention is paid to retailing, as 750 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. most previous research has always focused on manufacturing and pure service industries despite the recent increase in retail internationalisation (Park and Sternquist, 2008). METHODOLOGY The review takes into consideration South African retail companies that have expanded their operations beyond their home region, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in a significant way. Pure service retailing is beyond the scope of this paper. Shoprite is the largest food retailer in Africa, and also the pioneering retailer to embark on a continent wide expansion strategy. A review of Shoprite’s Africanisation process is carried out with the view of gaining some understanding of the phenomenon. Therefore, the propositions and challenges around the issue of modality are limited to what is obvious in the Shoprite study. The significance of these propositions and the relationships between them are further examined by the study of other cases of purposively selected South Africa companies moving into Africa. Since the intention is to understand the phenomenon under study, purposive sampling enhances the potential of understanding (Devers and Frankel, 2000). As indicated earlier, the study has largely been based on annual reports and other publicly available sources, and, therefore, the review took a content analysis approach. Due to its ability to assess the effects of environmental variables like regulation, socio-economic issues, and location characteristics such as market attractiveness, credibility and likability (Kolbe and Burnett, 1991) in the internationalisation process, content analysis techniques was useful in this study. A REVIEW AFRICA OF SHOPRITE’S EXPANSION INTO The Shoprite Group of companies came into existence with the acquisition of a supermarket chain in the Western Cape, in 1979 (Shoprite, 2009a). This expansion strategy has continued and has helped the expansiondriven company to show its presence across the country, and the group now comprises Shoprite, Checkers, Checkers Hyper, Usave, OK Furniture, OK House and Home, OK Power Express and OK Franchise Division (with a number of stores and brands under it). The national growth and expansion strategy of Shoprite, as observed, has been through mergers and acquisitions, but it modified and extended this strategy when moving abroad. It achieved international expansion by opening its own stores in the foreign countries in which it operates, so that in 2008, out of a total of 984 stores, 100 supermarkets were being operated in 16 countries outside South Africa (Shoprite, 2008). The company claims that the international stores operate with the same standards of sophistication as in the home country, South Africa. Hence, Shoprite now confidently proclaims its name as the largest food retailer in Africa. The expansion into African was a bold decision that has continued to influence the future of the Shoprite Group to the present day. However, this could not have been possible without clear vision, strategy and the appropriate choice of mode of working. The following points highlight some of the key factors that contributed to Shoprite’s success in Africa: Suitability of business model Most of Africa’s populated cities are home to middle to high income earners who yearn for quality of life, and Shoprite’s provision of a world class shopping environment and a wide range of products at arguably affordable prices meets their dreams of a better life. The opening of shopping centres and malls has been a feature of the Shoprite business model, as expressed by the Chairman of the group, C H Wiese in their annual report (Shoprite, 2008:8), â€Å"we have brought a developed country’s shopping experience to millions of people who have never been exposed to trading of this nature†. In essence, this goes beyond the activities of retailing; it is actually development, as the bright shopping outlets and malls have become part of a new urban development and modernity (Miller, 2006). Mode of working Shoprite’s choice of mode for its expansion programme has largely been by opening up its â€Å"own stores† in the countries where it operates. This strategy allows the company to have absolute control over all its operations, both local and foreign, and managing them from its head office in Cape Town. Park and Sternquist (2008) found that retail companies embarking on global strategies prefer opening branches or establishing wholly-owned subsidiaries for their international operations, although franchising has been widely used in this regard. This is because the wholly-owned entry mode allows for more control and involvement in the operations of the new establishment. Opening their own stores also offers potentially greater returns in terms of profit (Park and Sternquist, 2008). However, wholly-owned subsidiaries or own stores are seen as the most expensive mode of internationalisation for any particular company as it requires more resource commitment, including management time and finance (Doole and Lowe, 2004). Doole and Lowe contend that this mode is used when a retail company is certain that its products and services will do well in the long-run, in a foreign market of a politically stable country, since it allows the internationalising company to have full ownership and the control necessary to meet its strategic objectives. Whatever ever the situation, the choice of entry mode is one of the most critical and strategic decisions the company has to make before attempting to internationalise (Venter et al., 2007). Empowerment, jobs and training Despite Shoprite’s approach of opening its own stores and shopping centres, it also invested and continues to Dakora et al. invest in the human capital of the foreign countries where it operates. The group employs more than 8 000 local people in its stores outside South Africa, some of whom have been trained to become managers (Shoprite, 2008). Further, local small scale farmers are being supported to upgrade their production standards so as to supply the Shoprite stores. It has also been reported that the Shoprite Zambian operation is already self-sufficient in vegetable supplies, thanks to the engagement with local farmers. Supply chain efficiency Selling fresh foods in multiple countries through whollyowned stores could pose a logistical nightmare. But, thanks to Shoprite’s sophisticated supply chain network and strategically located distribution centres this has been possible and it has been a success (Shoprite, 2008). Another important element here is their ability to develop the necessary skills, backed by advanced information systems, to enable them to source and deliver products to all their stores from anywhere in the world, says their 2008 annual report. This element summarises the whole essence of retailing – delivering the right products and/or services to the right customers, at the right place, in the right condition or form, and certainly at the right price. As indicated by Dawson and Mukoyama (2006) the most important function of retailers is to make a range of products available to consumers for potential purchase. Information systems and technology Information systems and technologies not only support supply chain management, but also management processes. For the Shoprite Group to manage all its stores and operations from one head office, it has to have reliable information systems and technology in place. They have invested in the most sophisticated information technology and systems available to the retail industry, and employ talented people to manage them, according to the Chairman’s report (Shoprite, 2008). With this advancement in information technology, their systems are able to place up to 490 000 orders per month to reorder products automatically from their existing suppliers, the report indicates. In his report Whitey Basson (Chief Executive Officer) indicates that their investment in information technology and infrastructure has improved efficiencies at all levels of the business, and no doubt the capacity to handle increased supply chain activity in an international context (Shoprite, 2008). DISCUSSION It has come to light from the Shoprite review that both political issues and company-level issues affect South 751 African retailers in their quest to tap into the African market in a fulsome way. In an interview with the Classic FM business programme on 18 February 2009 (Shoprite, 2009b), Basson said: South Africa has not woken up to the fact that they are part of that big global village, and there are a lot of laws that need to be changed to make African traders work better with each other, in and out, it’s a hell of a job to actually get through the red tape and make trading easier. So I feel very strongly about it that they should look at that and say listen, as SA become part of the African continent and a leading role player, we should actually form some committee†¦that makes the trading easy; get [taxes] structured properly†¦, [so that] a truck can go to and be cleared within an hour going from one border to the next and not stand and wait for four or five days in between borders†¦ I think we [are] just lagging in that process. Moreover, in her research into the conditions of Shoprite workers in Lusaka (Zambia) and Maputo (Mozambique), Miller (2006:36) found that â€Å"across the categories of age, gender, skill and permanent or casual status, workers felt misused and mistreated by Shoprite management†. Miller’s research reveals that workers complain about wages, working conditions, hours, and overtime pay. Due to high costs of living, the wages earned could not support their basic needs, although Shoprite’s pay bettered the legislated minimum wage at the time. In general, the expansion of the Shoprite Group into the rest of Africa has shown that modality is important; and the issue of mode is much more than opening wholly owned stores, franchising and others, as it also concerns the relationship with local producers, suppliers and workers and other stakeholders. Speaking to Fin24 (Shoprite, 2009c), Basson had this to say about going into Africa: We can double our African business if we can get rid of all the red tape and all problems of just getting stores and merchandise out there. So it’s really still very, very tough and there is very little help from anybody, be they manufacturers or government from both sides to make the African continent a global trading area like you have in Europe or the Americas. The review of the Shoprite story, and its African expansion strategies, demonstrate that the mode of entry into African markets is of strategic importance. While it is evident that there are still more opportunities for expansion into African countries, there are significant challenges, and these challenges revolve around the choice of entry mode. Therefore the concept of mode and mode differences are important as businesses have to 752 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. take some important decisions about mode. These observations from the Shoprite study suggest the following propositions: Proposition #1: It is not easy getting into African markets; there are significant mode differences which present various challenges. Proposition #2: Components of the modal issues and the nature of the challenges include: a. Support for local economies, producers and suppliers, and labour is critical; b. Efficient supply chain management, and good information systems help; c. Movement of goods across borders can pose logistical problems; d. Competition emerges as many South African retailers expand into the continent; e. Government interventions are needed to open up the continent for trade. The mode is therefore a mix of how these challenges are handled, and this is indicative of the mode choices. Moreover, the challenges regarding support for local producers and labour, and supply chain management are particularly important. South African retailers have come under scrutiny in recent years for dumping South African products in African markets, little support for local labour and pushing local companies out of business (Games, 2008); an issue Shoprite is said to be working hard on (Shoprite, 2008). Also, although most of the newly economically empowered populations of Africa want to spend their money in shopping mall, there are those people who are driven to be concerned about climate change because of the globalisation of the issues of climate change and the significance of carbon footprint management in running a business. This raises the importance of merchandise range management, as some consumers might prefer locally produced organic products. Therefore, there might be a need for the re-ranging of product lines of South African retailers in their African operations. The wider significance of the propositions established, and the relationships and interdependencies between them can be investigated by a review of other South African retail businesses moving in the same direction. OTHER SOUTH AFRICAN RETAILERS EXPANDING INTO THE REST OF AFRICA that the company now operates 12 Game stores in 10 sub-Saharan African countries outside of South Africa including: Botswana, Ghana, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia; most of the stores are said to perform better (in terms of sales) than their South African counterparts (Massmart, 2008). Other format stores are located elsewhere. The report also indicates that the company buys from local suppliers and also import from different countries including South Africa. According to the annual report, the excellent performance of stores in Africa caught management’s attention, and â€Å"this prompted us to revise our earlier policy to limit our African footprint to one store per country (with exception of Botswana and Namibia)†. As a result there are new stores under development for Malawi, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, and others, as reported. However, in an interview with fin24 the Massmart CEO, Grant Pattison indicated just how difficult it is to operate in African markets outside of South Africa, especially when it comes to acquiring property (Massmart, 2009). He said â€Å"we can work on a property for ten years† and explained how that can hamper their expansion process. Having said that, he also indicated that â€Å"the more difficult it is to operate, the more opportunity there is for a good operator† and in the final analysis they do not consider it particularly difficult to operate in foreign African countries (Massmart, 2009). Truworths Truworths is one of the leading South African apparel retailers, selling multiple brands of women’s, men’s, teenager’s and children’s fashions and related products (Truworth, 2008). Truworths is an investment holding company with subsidiaries. Like other South African retailers, the group is expanding into the continent, and currently operates 25 franchised stores in both foreign African countries and in the Middle East (Truworths, 2009). Unlike the Shoprite and Massmart Groups, however, Truworth’s strategy for expansion has been through franchising. The group has a presence in the following African countries beyond the borders of South Africa: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho and Tanzania under its multiple brand labels. However, reports of how well those franchised stores perform are not indicated. Massmart group Woolworths Massmart is a wholesaler and retailer of general merchandise and other streams of goods. Since 1994 the company has expanded its business operation beyond the borders of South Africa to tap markets in the rest of the continent. In its 2008 annual report, it is explained Woolworths, like Truworths, is one of the major fashion and accessories retailers in South Africa; the company also operates a supermarket chain and pharmacies. It operates nationwide and also offers franchise opportunities, both in the local market and foreign African Dakora et al. countries (Woolworths, 2008). As reported, the company operates franchise stores in foreign African countries, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The performance of the franchised foreign operations is, however, not indicated (Woolworths, 2009). RETAIL MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA Retail opportunities in Africa are extensive, as some African countries are experiencing strong economic growth and are benefiting from political reforms. The â€Å"doing business† report of the World Bank (2008) indicates an increasing trend of countries implementing reforms to facilitate cross-border trade globally, and shows that Africa is at the forefront of this trend. The report observes that Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda and Tanzania have all reformed in recent years, and that African countries such as Botswana, Mozambique and Rwanda and Ghana have been able to create positive and stable governments. The resultant boost in their economies has been noticed, and the opportunities are clearly visible (Mahajan and Gunther, 2009). As well as economic expansion, it is worth noting that the combined population of African countries is also growing rapidly. With Africa still showing the highest birth rate, its population is projected to reach two billion by 2050, despite average life expectancy remaining low (Venter et al., 2007). Within African countries there is a growing highly-educated labour force, that can make a contribution to companies expanding into the continent; there is also a growing proportion of middle-income earners who seek to enjoy the services of these companies. In talking about the continent’s market size, potential and opportunities, Mahajan and Gunther (2009:3) help to put things in perspective: Africa has more than 900 million consumers. Despite the challenges, every day they need to eat. They need clean water. They need shelter, clothing, and medicine. They want cell phones, bicycles, computers, automobiles, and education for their children. Businesses are already seizing these opportunities in building markets across Africa. As we have noted, prominent among the companies seizing opportunities in Africa are South African retailers, and this is evident in the rising shopping malls and South African retail stores in cities across the Continent (Miller, 2006; Mahajan and Gunther, 2009). Moreover, the increased communications connectivity and usage in African countries also opens up a lot of opportunities. The information economy report hailed this technology 753 expansion as the source of the strong wave of innovation that changed the face of the global economy during the th last quarter of the 20 century† (United Nations, 2007). With the launch of the East African Submarine Internet cable, that connects Eastern and Southern African countries to the rest of the world in cheaper and faster ways, ICTs will continue to be a positive factor. However, Mahajan and Gunther indicate that most emerging markets have serious problems that cannot be ignored by businesses operating within them, and Africa has its own unique situation; this issue is discussed under the next heading. DIFFICULTIES PROCESS IN THE INTERNATIONALISATION Infrastructure (including transport, electricity, water, sanitation, medicine, and technology) has always been at the forefront of challenges faced by companies operating in Africa, but these challenges actually present opportunities to businesses that can meet them (Mahajan and Gunther, 2009). All the same, it is still difficult and costly to move goods from one country to another when there are poor rail and road networks (Economist Newspaper, 2008). This poses logistical difficulties for retailers who need to move perishable or fast-moving consumer goods from warehouses to stores, in geographically far-flung locations within the continent, as indicated earlier in the discussion of Shoprite. Additionally, cross-border trade is affected by road blocks, red tape and slow custom clearances at most borders. As explained in his interview with Fin24 (Massmart, 2009), the CEO of Massmart said â€Å"[When] we supply goods into Lagos, it might take 12 weeks on the water, [but it can take] 14 weeks to clear†. Obviously, this precludes any consideration of the supply of fresh products. Conclusion As international retailing becomes a reality in Africa, the complexities of the phenomenon, coupled with the unique African situation, need academic attention to help demystify the process. South African retailers have moved into the continent quite cautiously, and most are achieving growth, in some cases even more than within their home operations. This generally positive experience merits more study so that it can be understood and used to accelerate the benefits for all, especially the African consumer. This paper has focused on the mode of internationalisation as an important issue that demands the attention of retail managements considering moving into Africa. For example, it is interesting that Shoprite and general merchandise retailer, Massmart have opened 754 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. their own stores, whereas clothing retailers, Truworths and Woolworths operate via franchising. As a result, while Shoprite and Massmart have full ownership and control over their operations in foreign African countries, they nevertheless have to shoulder the challenges in those markets as discussed. In the case of their franchised counterparts, this has been avoided, at the cost of ownership and some control. It is already evident that there are many variations on these simple themes that all need to be studied and understood. REFERENCES Daniel J, Naidoo V, Naidu S (2003). Post-Apartheid South Africa’s corporate expansion into Africa. Traders. .Afr. Bus. J. AugustNovember, issue: 15. Dawson J, Mukoyama M (2006). The increase in international activities by retailers. In: Dawson J, Lark R, Mukoyama M (eds). Strategic issues in international retailing. London: Routledge. Devers KJ, Frankel RM (2000). Study design in qualitative research – 2: Sampling and data collection strategies. Education for health. 13(2): 263-271. Doole I, Lowe R (2004). International marketing strategy: analysis, development and implementation. 4th ed. London: Thomson. Economist Newspaper Ltd, 2008. Network effects; logistics in Africa. The economist, 389(8602), October, 18. Federzoli D (2006). Concept and test of a comprehensive mode of international strategy for retail companies. Int. Rev. retail, Distribution Consum. Res. 16(4): 415-431. Games D (2008). South African retail sector in Africa. In Grobbelaar N, Basada H (eds). Unlocking Africa’s Potential: the role of corporate South Africa in strengthening Africa’s private sector. Johannesburg: SAIIA. Kolbe RH, Burnett MS (1991). Content-analysis research: an examination of applications and directives for improving reliability objectivity. J. Consum. Res. 18(2): 243-250. Mahajan V, Gunther RE (2009). Africa rising: how 900 million African consumers offer more than you think. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. Massmart (2009). Fin24 interview with Massmart CEO. www.massmart.co.za. [23 July 2009]. Massmart (2008). Annual report, www.massmart.co.za. [23 July 2009]. McGarriagle I (2008). The only way is up. Retail world. April. Miller D (2008). ‘Retail renaissance’ or company rhetoric: the failed partnership of South African Corporation and local suppliers in Zambia. Labour, capital and society. 41(1): 34-55. Miller D (2006). Spaces of resistance: African workers at Shoprite in Maputo and Lusaka. Afr. Dev. 31(1): 27-49. Myers H, Alexander N (2007). The role of retail internationalisation in the establishment of a European retail structure. Int J. Retail Distribution Manage. 35(1): 6-19. Park Y, Sternquist B (2008). The global retailer’s strategic proposition and choice of entry mode. Int. Retail Distribution Manage. 36(4): 281299. Shoprite (2009a). Website. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 Jully 2009]. Shoprite (2009b). Classic FM business’s interview with Shoprite CEO. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 July 2009]’ Shoprite (2009c). Fin24 interview with Shoprite CEO. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Shpoprite (2008). Annual report. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Sternquist B (2007). International retailing. 2nd ed. New York: Fairchild. Truworths (2009). Website. www.truworths.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Truworths (2008). Annual report. www.truworths.co.za. [20 July 2009]. United Nations. UNCTAD Secretariat (2007). The information economy report 2007-2008: science and technology for development: the new paradigm of ICT. http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/sdteecb20071_en.pdf. Venter D, Erwee R, De Lange R (2007). Economic and social development initiatives for South Africa and Africa. In: Hough J, Neuland E (eds). Global business environment and strategies: managing for global competitive advantage. 3rd ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. Woolworths (2009). Website. www.woolworths.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Woolworths (2008). Annual report. www.woolworth.co.za. [20 July 2009]. World Bank (2008). Doing business 2009. www.doingbusiness.org [24 July 2009]. Zhang M, Dodgson M (2007). â€Å"A roasted duck can still fly away†: A case study of technology, nationality, culture and the rapid and early internationalisation of the firm. J. World Bus. 42: 336-349.

How college will effect my life Essay

I am excited about the opportunity to go to college and follow a course of study which really interests me. They say accounting is the language of business. I have always been interested in business and as I learn more about accounting, I can’t wait to get started. But when I think about how college will affect my life, I think about independence and the choices I will have to make. The legal drinking age is 21 but I know a lot of college students will drink a few beers or even quite a few beers. Meeting someone and staying overnight at someone else’s place or my own all of a sudden is a choice I need to make. I will be in classes about 15 hours a week and how I use all the other hours of the week is up to me. Heck, even those 15 hours is optional, no parents will be notified if I decide to sleep in. Going to college means real independence where all decisions from what time to get out of bed in the morning to what I choose to drink at night around my new friends, and t he consequences as a result of those decisions, will be 100% on me. As a little girl, I always wanted to be a waitress. But as my dad would say, â€Å"If you want to be a waitress, you first have to go to college, and after college if you still want to be a waitress, go for it.† Going to college will give me the knowledge I need to determine what I am going to do the rest of my life. While technology and the world at large is changing rapidly, college will give me the skills to think clearly about problems, communicate logically with peers, and resolve issues for the benefit of all. These basic life skills will equip me for whatever I choose to do in this ever changing environment. While I don’t know exactly how college will affect my life, I do know that what I will be at age 22 will be very different from what I am at age 18.

The Difference Between a High School Diploma and a GED

The Difference Between a High School Diploma and a GED There’s more than one way to prove your knowledge. While many students spend years earning their high school diplomas, others take a battery of tests in a single day and move on to college with a General Equivalency Diploma (GED). But is a GED as good as an actual diploma? And do colleges and employers really care which one you choose? Take a look at the facts before deciding how to complete your high school education. GED Students who take the GED exam must not be enrolled in or graduated from high school and must be over the age of 16. Depending on the state where the test is taken, students may also have to meet other requirements. Requirements: The GED is awarded after  a student passes a series of tests in five academic subjects. In order to pass each test, the student must score higher than 60% of the sample set of graduating seniors. Generally, students need to spend a considerable amount of time studying for the exams. Length of study: Students are not required to take traditional courses in order to earn their GED. The examinations take seven hours and five minutes to complete. Students may need to take preparation courses in order to get ready for the exams. However, these preparation courses are not mandatory. How employers view a GED: The majority of employers hiring for entry-level positions will consider a GED score as comparable to an actual diploma. A small number of employers will consider the GED inferior to a diploma. If a student continues school and receives a college degree, his employer will probably not even consider how he completed his high school education. How colleges view a GED: Most community colleges admit students who have received a GED. Individual universities have their own policies. Many will accept students with a GED, but some will not view the credential the same way as a diploma, especially if the school requires specialized courses of study for admittance. In many cases, a traditional diploma will be viewed as superior. High School Diploma Laws vary from state to state, but most schools will permit students to work on completing their high school diploma at a traditional public school for one to three  years after they turn eighteen. Special community schools and other programs often provide older students the opportunity to complete their graduation requirements. School diplomas do not generally have minimum age requirements. Requirements: In order to receive a diploma, students must complete coursework as dictated by their school district. Curriculum varies from district to district. Length of study: Students generally take four years to complete their high school diploma. How employers view a diploma: A high school diploma will allow students to meet the education requirements for many entry-level positions. Generally, employees with diplomas will earn significantly more than those without. Students who wish to advance in their careers may need to attend college for additional training. How colleges view a diploma: Most students admitted to four-year colleges have earned a high school diploma. However, a diploma does not guarantee acceptance. Factors such as grade point average (GPA), coursework, and extracurricular activities also play a role in admissions decisions.

Roman Women essays

Roman Women essays The life of a Woman of Rome was filled with many traditions and rules, which were carried on generation after generation. Many say that Roman women were oppressed because they were not allowed to be an active part of society and politics. The book Roman Women by J.P.V.D. Balsdon gives, what I consider to be, an accurate and detailed account of a typical woman in Rome during the Roman Empire. Balsdon writes about the married women of Rome and the formidable ceremonies needed to perform a wedding. The children that soon came after marriage, which was in itself, another worry for women of the Roman culture. Rome also had its share, like most civilizations, of happy and unhappy marriages that women lived through. In addition, there were the less reputable women of Rome, the prostitutes and courtesans. And last, but not least, Balsdon gives a detailed account of a woman's daily life down to hairstyles, make-up, and jewelry. A woman's looks were very important in Rome. A woman revealed no more of her body than a nun does today. She usually wore the standard dress called a stola with light undergarments beneath this. It is a rather interesting fact that this style of dress did not change for three hundred years. Purple and gold, and a dark rose, scarlet, or amethyst were a few of the favored colors for the women of Rome. Women's hair arrangements often occupied a large portion of their time and were performed by a hairdresser. Younger women dressed their hair very simply by drawing it back into a knot at the back of the neck. Most hair was parted down the center and curled into waves, or styled with small ringlets. Make-up, an important part of a woman's beauty process, was only moderately applied unless the woman was a prostitute. Jewels, however, were sometimes lavishly applied. Opals, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds were popular among the wealthy women. The amount of jewelry a woman wore signified her husband's we...

What Are the Romance Languages

What Are the Romance Languages The word romance connotes love and wooing, but when it has a capital R, as in Romance languages, it probably refers to a set of languages based on Latin, the language of the ancient Romans. Latin was the language of the Roman Empire, but the classical Latin that was written by the literati like Cicero was not the language of daily life. It was certainly not the language soldiers and traders took with them to the edges of Empire, like Dacia (modern Romania), on the northern and eastern frontier. What Was Vulgar Latin? Romans spoke and wrote graffiti in a less polished language than they used in their literature. Even Cicero wrote plainly in personal correspondence. The simplified Latin language of the common (Roman) people is called Vulgar Latin because Vulgar is an adjectival form of the Latin for the crowd. This makes Vulgar Latin the peoples language. It was this language that the soldiers took with them and that interacted with native languages and the language of later invaders, particularly the Moors and Germanic invasions, to produce the Romance languages throughout the area that had once been the Roman Empire. Fabulare Romanice By the 6th century, to speak in the Latin-derived language was to fabulare romanice, according to Portuguese: a Linguistic Introduction, by Milton Mariano Azevedo (from the Spanish and Portuguese Department at the University of California at Berkeley). Romanice was an adverb suggesting in the Roman manner that was shortened to romance; whence, Romance languages. Simplifications of Latin Some of the general changes to Latin were the loss of terminal consonants, diphthongs tended to be reduced to simple vowels, the distinctions between long and short versions of the same vowels were losing significance, and, together with the decline in terminal consonants that provided case endings, led to a loss of inflection, according to Nicholas Ostler in Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin. The Romance languages, therefore, needed another way to show the roles of words in sentences, so the relaxed word order of Latin was replaced with a fairly fixed order. RomanianRoman Province: DaciaOne of the changes to Vulgar Latin made in Romania was that an unstressed o became u, so you may see Rumania (the country) and Rumanian (the language), instead of Romania and Romanian. (Moldova-)Romania is the only country in the Eastern European area that speaks a Romance language. At the time of the Romans, the Dacians may have spoken a Thracian language. The Romans fought the Dacians during the reigns of Trajan who defeated their king, Decebalus. Men from Dacia became Roman soldiers who learned the language of their commanders Latin and brought it home with them when they settled in Dacia upon retirement. Missionaries also brought Latin to Romania. Later influences on Romanian came from Slavic immigrants.Reference: The History of the Romanian Language.ItalianItalian emerged from further simplification of Vulgar Latin in the Italic peninsula. The language is also spoken in San Marino as the official language, and in Switzerland, as one of the official languages. In the 12th to 13th century, the vernacular spoken in Tuscany (formerly the area of the Etruscans) became the standard written language, now known as Italian. A spoken language based on the written version became standard in Italy in the 19th century.References: Italian - Language Information and ResourcesHistory of the Italian Language From a Local Tuscan Dialect to the Language of a New Nation - From Italian at About.comPortugueseRoman Province: LusitaniaOrbilat says that the language of the Romans practically wiped out the earlier language of the Iberian peninsula when the Romans conquered the area in the third century B.C. Latin was a prestige language, so it was in the interest of the population to learn it. Over time the language spoken on the west coast of the peninsula came to be Galician-Portuguese, but when Galicia became part of Spain, the two language groups split.Reference: Portuguese: a Linguistic Introduction, by Milton Mariano AzevedoGallicianRoman Province: Gallicia/Gallaecia.The area of Gallicia was inhabited by Celts when the Romans conquered the area and made it a Roman province, so the native Celtic language mixed with Vulgar Latin from the second century B.C. Germanic invaders also had an impact on the language.Referenc e: Galician Spanish (Castilian)Latin Term: HispaniaThe Vulgar Latin in Spain from the 3rd century B.C. was simplified in various ways, including the reduction of cases to just the subject and object. In 711, Arabic came to Spain via the Moors, and as a result, there are Arabic borrowings in the modern language. Castilian Spanish comes from the 9th century when Basques influenced the speech. Steps towards its standardization took place in the 13th becoming the official language in the 15th century. An archaic form called Ladino was preserved among Jewish populations forced to leave in the 15th century.References:CastilianWhy Is Spanish Sometimes Called Castilian? - About.com Guide to SpanishCatalanRoman Province: Hispania (Citerior).Catalan is spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, Andorra, the Balearic Isles, and other small regions. The area of Catalonia spoke Vulgar Latin but was influenced heavily by the southern Gauls in the 8th century,  becoming a distinct language by the 10th century.Reference: Catalan FrenchRoman Province: Gallia Transalpina.French is spoken in France, Switzerland, and Belgium, in Europe. The Romans in the Gallic Wars, under Julius Caesar, brought Latin to Gaul in the 1st century B.C. At the time they were speaking a Celtic language known as Gaulish. Germanic Franks invaded in the early 5th century. By the time of Charlemagne (d. A.D. 814), the language of the French was already sufficiently removed from Vulgar Latin to be called Old French. Comprehensive List of Romance Languages of Today With Locations Linguists may prefer a list of the Romance languages with more detail and more thorough. Ethnologue, a publication of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc (SIL), contains a comprehensive list of languages of the world, including languages that are dying. Here are the names, geographic divisions and national locations of major divisions of the modern Romance languages given by Ethnologue. Eastern Aromanian (Greece)Romanian (Romania)Romanian, Istro (Croatia)Romanian, Megleno (Greece) Italo-Western Italo-DalmatianIstriot (Croatia)Italian (Italy)Judeo-Italian (Italy)Napoletano-Calabrese (Italy)Sicilian (Italy)WesternGallo-IberianGallo-RomanceGallo-ItalianEmiliano-Romagnolo (Italy)Ligurian (Italy)Lombard (Italy)Piemontese (Italy)Venetian (Italy)Gallo-RhaetianOilFrenchSoutheasternFrance-ProvencalRhaetianFriulian (Italy)Ladin (Italy)Romansch (Switzerland)Ibero-RomanceEast IberianCatalan-Valencian Balear (Spain)OcOccitan (France)Shuadit (France)West IberianAustro-LeoneseAsturian (Spain)Mirandese (Portugal)CastilianExtremaduran (Spain)Ladino (Israel)SpanishPortuguese-GalicianFala (Spain)Galician (Spain)PortuguesePyrenean-MozarabicPyrenean Southern CorsicanCorsican (France)SardinianSardinian, Campidanese (Italy)Sardinian, Gallurese (Italy)Sardinian, Logudorese (Italy)Sardinian, Sassarese (Italy) For more details, see: Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online.

Financial markets and sovereign debt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial markets and sovereign debt - Essay Example Among securities that are traded in the financial markets are bonds, stock as well as commodity materials such as the agricultural products and precious metals. It therefore adopts the notion of a common market in that it presents a platform in which interested buyers meets with interested sellers as well as the commodities on bargain. In a financial market, parties participating are government agencies, individual persons, firms as well as households. This is a common feature with a market economy where the government relies primarily on the structures of buyers as well as sellers in allocation of resources as contrasted to non-market or commodity economies. Besides, the effects vary depending on the stage of development of an economy where in the emerging economies; the governments largely take the responsibility in financial aid and financial management and participation especially for the reason of such eventual occurrences as the sovereign risks (Aizenman, Jinjarak and Park, 201 3, para 1-5; Herrero, 2005, p. 5). Discussion Financial markets and the global economy Basic responsibilities of financial markets in finance include capital summation, risk transfers, discovery of prices, global participation in integrating financial markets as well as liquidity transfers (‘International Monetary Fund’, 2010, p. 1). ... 1-4). The financial markets also brings together borrowers and lenders where in money markets, firms borrow finances on short term while capital markets provide long term based funding to corporations for expansion purposes.The following illustration is on the interactions that are engaged in financial markets as well as the parties to the transactions. Lenders Financial intermediaries Financial markets Borrowers Individuals as well as companies Banks, insurance firms, pension funds as well as mutual funds Interbank Stock Exchange, money Markets, Bond Markets as well as Foreign Exchange Individuals, Companies, Central Governments, Municipalities as well as Public Corporations The relationship depicted therefore shows that borrowers, lenders and financial intermediaries have a common link through the financial markets where stock exchange, bonds as well as foreign currencies are traded. It is worth noting that the interaction of these parties at the international scene depicts the act ual picture of the global economy. Market efficiency is a critical concept that must be employed in the analysis of financial markets as well as the global economy and it involves three categories: strong, semi-strong as well as the weak form of efficiencies. However, the inefficiencies notable in financial markets result from ‘frictions’ which broadly represents asymmetries in information and taxes as well as costs of transactions. Value and liquidity in the transactions are therefore basic features in the consideration of efficiencies in financial markets. The concept of efficiency is very critical in investment decisions by investors within a country besides guiding on such decisions as arbitration and speculation. Information influences the behavior of

My narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

My narrative - Essay Example It is crucially important for educators to encourage inclusive education, in which the classroom is converted into such a learning environment where students with special needs are encouraged to learn and develop self-confidence, without having to face ridicule. For example, autism, dyslexia, hearing and visual impairments, and ADHD are such disorders that involve specially designed teaching strategies. For me, it will be important to understand the problems of such children in my classroom, in order to plan my lessons accordingly. Children with special needs require special support with their learning styles (James, 2008, p.54). A multisensory approach is the best which supports the child in all the three ways: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. ICT offers many solutions for children with disabilities (McKeon, 2000). Teachers must understand that children with special needs need extra time and effort in understanding the lesson, and hence they should be treated quite differently in l esson, but not in a way that makes them stand out. Hence, teachers must implement such learning strategies that help dyslexic children retain information in their memory for longer time, while helping them maintain their self-esteem at the same

Critical Analysis of studies regarding Austim and whether vaccinations Essay

Critical Analysis of studies regarding Austim and whether vaccinations are the cause - Essay Example the disorder is not been linked to ignorance or carelessness but is linked to MMR vaccination, which is used to immunize children against measles, mumps and rubella. It is hypothesized that since 1980, when the vaccinations was made available to people from all the classes in the society, the development in autism has increased substantially (KNOW. . ., n.d., para 5). Not only that, but because of this hypothesis, parents are concerned about the reliability of the vaccination to such an extend that even the scientific studies contradicting this hypothesis are not helping to develop trust in safety of vaccines. There are numerous studies conducted by scientists and researchers to find if MMR vaccine causes development of autism and most of the studies have found no evidence of relationship between MMR vaccine and increase in risk of developing autism. Smeeth et al., in their article ‘MMR vaccination and pervasive developmental disorders: a case-control study’, describe a study conducted to find out if there was any relationship between the MMR vaccine and the increase in the risk of autism. The intention of the study was to see if MMR vaccine causes autism (Smeeth et al., 2004, p.963). The method that was used to study if an increase in risk of autism or other PDD’s is associated with MMR vaccine was a case control method(Smeeth et al., 2004, p.963). The data of the population for study was taken from UK General Practice Research Database (GPRD), which was set up in 1987. The strength of this study was the availability of the data that consisted of electronic clinical records of the patients registered with all the practices in England and Wales and hence, was not limited (Smeeth et al., 2004, p.963). The data also

Exploring ethics in contemporary business Assignment

Exploring ethics in contemporary business - Assignment Example Further, decisions in an organisation are taken, for instance, to mitigate risks or brainstorm for the best alternatives to move an organisation to the next level (Guest & Woodrow, 2012) . In a hierarchical organisational structure, decisions are made in boardrooms by the top management without involving other employees. Consequently, the style of leadership in a hierarchical organisational structure tends to be authoritative, where the decision made by the top management is final (Ahmed, Bwisa, & Karanja, 2014). In such a case where decisions go wrong, the management should be held accountable for poor decision-making. On the contrary, while a flatter organisational structure allows other employees to take part in the decision-making process, the management still has the last word regarding the ideal decision to be implemented (Michaelson, 2010). In this sense, ethical issues arise whether it is appropriate to hold an employee accountable for poor decision-making in an organisation. In an organisation, decision-making entails a process of tackling a problem by looking for a solution that will bring about value for an organisation’s stakeholders. In essence, decisions in an organisation can be programmed or non-programmed. In the former, decisions are normally repetitive and routine while, in the latter process, decisions tend to be novel and unstructured (Ahmed, Bwisa, & Karanja, 2014). Some of the models in the literature that can be associated with organisational decision-making include the Rational, Carnegie, Incrementalist, Unstructured and the Garbage Can models (Glockner & Betsch, 2011). With regard to the rational model, the process of making decisions is straightforward and involves a three-step process. The three steps encompass identifying the problem, brainstorming for an ideal alternative and selecting the best among others to implement. In most organisational setups, the rational model is the most common

People have become more overly dependent on technology Essay

People have become more overly dependent on technology - Essay Example According to Spira (2011) technology has been well embraced by so many people in the world. This to some extent has both negatively and positively contributed to the development in various countries. All people depend on technology for several things. Technology has become a back bone to so many things in the world. Technology has been majorly been embraced in the transport and communication sector. Countries that have low level technology are termed as under developed countries while those with high level of technology are the developed countries. Most of the African countries are under developed. This is because of the few industries found in these countries. Klososky (2011) states technology has improved the communication sector to a larger extent whereby people are able to convey their concern to one another despite the distance differences. Communication has become faster, efficient and cheaper. All people can afford mobile phones which are widely used. Most teenagers have embraced Facebook and twitter which are providing easier mode of social networking. Technology has helped in the improvement of transport sector since there are many faster modes of transport that have been invented. Transport means such as aircrafts help someone to reach their destination very fast and easier this has improved the market sectors since perishable goods such as horticultural products can reach the market on time.

Exploring ethics in contemporary business Assignment

Exploring ethics in contemporary business - Assignment Example Further, decisions in an organisation are taken, for instance, to mitigate risks or brainstorm for the best alternatives to move an organisation to the next level (Guest & Woodrow, 2012) . In a hierarchical organisational structure, decisions are made in boardrooms by the top management without involving other employees. Consequently, the style of leadership in a hierarchical organisational structure tends to be authoritative, where the decision made by the top management is final (Ahmed, Bwisa, & Karanja, 2014). In such a case where decisions go wrong, the management should be held accountable for poor decision-making. On the contrary, while a flatter organisational structure allows other employees to take part in the decision-making process, the management still has the last word regarding the ideal decision to be implemented (Michaelson, 2010). In this sense, ethical issues arise whether it is appropriate to hold an employee accountable for poor decision-making in an organisation. In an organisation, decision-making entails a process of tackling a problem by looking for a solution that will bring about value for an organisation’s stakeholders. In essence, decisions in an organisation can be programmed or non-programmed. In the former, decisions are normally repetitive and routine while, in the latter process, decisions tend to be novel and unstructured (Ahmed, Bwisa, & Karanja, 2014). Some of the models in the literature that can be associated with organisational decision-making include the Rational, Carnegie, Incrementalist, Unstructured and the Garbage Can models (Glockner & Betsch, 2011). With regard to the rational model, the process of making decisions is straightforward and involves a three-step process. The three steps encompass identifying the problem, brainstorming for an ideal alternative and selecting the best among others to implement. In most organisational setups, the rational model is the most common

Biochemical identification of unknown bacteria Lab Report

Biochemical identification of unknown bacteria - Lab Report Example 1) Nutrient agar slant: Given culture was streak on the nutrient agar slant and incubated at two different temperature 25Â °C and 37Â °C respectively. After 24h of incubation, slants were taken out from incubator and growth was observed. Growth on tube incubated at 37Â °C was found to be effuse and the growth was extensive while in case of tube incubated at 25Â °C growth was found to be lesser compared to previous tube and echinulated in nature. There was no pigmentation observed and growth was found to be whitish in color and translucent in nature. Results indicated that given unknown bacteria is either Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes or Staphylococcus aureus ,being human /animal inhabitant The optimum temperature for growth of these bacteria is 37Â °C (i.e. human body temperature) while in case of Pseudomonas aerogenosa being free living as well as human inhabitant, it can grow at 25Â °C as well as 37Â °C . Similarly it also produces bluish green pigment and grows as mucoid colony. 2) Nutrient agar: Given culture was streak on to the nutrient agar plate using quadrant streak technique and incubated at 37Â °C for 24 h. After incubation colonies were found to be convex, circular and having entire margin. Optically colonies were found to be translucent and without any pigmentation. This observation again ruled out the possibility of Pseudomonas aeroginosa. Similarly colony of Staphylococcus aureus is opaque, slightly elevated, appears yellowish white.

Price Elasticity or Demand & Marginal Utility Essay Example for Free

Price Elasticity or Demand Marginal Utility Essay Part A   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on its definition, the major determinants of price elasticity of demand would be the percentage change of quantity demanded and prices of the goods and services. We can say that a certain good is an elastic or inelastic good based on the above identified determinants of price elasticity of demand (Moffatt 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like for instance, let us consider the case of bottled water in the market. Since there are a lot of companies that produces bottled water, this product can only be considered as elastic good because even if the prices of bottled water decrease in the market the demand would change significantly since bottled waters are goods that can be classified as normal goods. Moreover, there are a lot of substitutes for bottled water in the market which makes the demand react instantly on slight changes in the current prices of this kind of goods. On the other hand, the price elasticity of toothpaste is also elastic because the percentage change of demand is significant for a percentage unit change on its prices due to the existence of substitute toothpaste in the market. As for the case of Crest it has inelastic demand elasticity since during the 1950’s it is the only toothpaste that has fluoride and there is an absence of substitute product for this kind of toothpaste at that time. Meaning, the demand for Crest toothpaste remains high especially for those people who are health conscious regardless of the price level of the said product. Next product would be Ketchup which also has the same demand elasticity as bottled water and toothpaste- elastic demand. The last but not the least product would be Microsoft Windows operating system. Since majority of computers nowadays uses Windows operating system, the demand for this product is really high and consumers are very much willing to pay even high prices just to have this product. In other words, the percentage change of Windows operating system will not greatly affect the percentage change of demand for this product. Part B No. of Pizza Slices Consumed Total Utility Marginal Utility 1 20 n.a. 2 28 8 3 40 12 4 47 7 5 52 5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the table above, during the consumption of the first slice of pizza, my friend derived a total utility of 20 units. On the second slice of pizza, he derived 28 units of utility and 40 units during the third slice of pizza. On the fourth slice of pizza he looks as if he is not that much eager to get a slice of pizza and derived only 47 units of utility and 52 on the fifth slice of pizza. Based from this data we can now compute for the marginal utility that my friend was able to derive out of consuming 5 out of 8 slices of pizza. We can see clearly that my friend had an increasing marginal utility on consuming slices of pizza up to the 3rd slice. The fourth slice was not able to satisfy my friend as he approached saturation on consuming slices of pizza. My friend said to me that he experienced the same feeling, feeling of saturation after consuming a number of a single product, when consuming soft drinks and burgers. The more he eats burgers or drink soft drinks, he starts to value less the succeeding pieces of burger or bottle of soft drinks after some point in time. Works Cited Moffatt, Mike â€Å"Price Elasticity of Demand.† 2007. About.com.   24 February 2008 http://economics.about.com/cs/micfrohelp/a/priceelasticity.htm.

The Sydney Opera House Tourism Essay

The Sydney Opera House Tourism Essay The Sydney Opera House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia and produces more than 7 million tourists/people visiting the venue each year. The Sydney Opera House offers a variety of difference shows and performances as well as guided tours, which enables each visitor to explore the vast creation inside one of the worlds most recognisable buildings. Around 1.2 million people attend the many performances and shows, and over 318, 000 people take part of the guided tours available. The Sydney Opera House is also proudly, State, National and World Heritage listed. However, there are many threats that this iconic Australian icon encounters, including such issues as, conservation, and climate change. These different issues threaten the iconic building for future patrons and therefore need to be taken care of in order to maintain Australias most recognisable and best known iconic landmark. The Sydney Opera House has become, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydneys best-known landmark and international symbol (The Sydney Opera House, 2011). It is known as one of Australias iconic monuments and is one of the busiest and well-known performing art centres not only Australia, but the world. Each year, the Sydney Opera House provides over 1500 varying performance each year. It is located on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, in sight of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and is also situated on the northern eastern point of the Sydney central business district (CBD). The Sydney Opera House is a performing arts centre envisioned and largely created by a Danish architect, JÃ ¸rn Utzon. However, designed in 1959, it took a total of 14 years to be completed and was official opened in 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II. The Sydney Opera House, being a performing arts centre, promotes and supports a variety of performing arts companies, and with seven primary venues, offers audiences the opportunity to experience the very best of the many different art forms performed (Sydney Opera House 08/09 Annual Report, 2009). As well as the actual Sydney Opera House, visitors are able to experience the harbour side area that offers a variety of attractions such as shopping, dining and entertainment. An estimated 45 million people have attended over 100,000 the Sydney Opera House since its opening in 1973 as well as an estimated 100 million people visiting the actual site (Sydney Opera House 08/09 Annual Report, 2009). Regular tours of the construction are conducted daily and many paths and forms of transport was available, leading back towards the CBD through the Botanic Gardens, which is another well known tourist attraction in Sydney. The Sydney Opera House provides Sydney with a vast number of tourists domestically and internationally throughout the whole year, which provides great exposure to many restaurants, bars and hotels that surround the Harbour. Hotels like the Park Hyatt, Quay Grand Suites Sydney, the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney and The Four Seasons Hotel Sydney; all benefit from the exposure the Sydney Opera House gains from the estimated 7 million patrons visiting the area each year, creating a link with the hospitality and tourism industry of Sydney. SITUATION ANALYSIS Conservation The Sydney Opera House is a masterpiece of late modern architecture and an iconic building of the 20th century (The Sydney Opera House, 2011). It is nevertheless, an extraordinary building and not only the citys central cultural scene, but it is also admired world-wide and valued by the people of Australia. On the 28th June 2007, the Sydney Opera House was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Braithwaite, 2007). In 2003, Utzon was awarded the Pritzker Prize, an architects highest honour award, which stated; There is no doubt that the Sydney Opera House is his masterpiece. It is one of the great iconic buildings of the 20th century, an image of great beauty that has become known throughout the world a symbol for not only a city, but a whole country and continent. (Sydney Opera House, 2008) Climate change is the main concern that threatens World Heritage sites such as the Sydney Opera House (Daley, 2009). Since the Sydney Opera House is known as a World heritage Site, concerns about potential threats to the actual site are worrying. Such threats include; rising sea levels, increased ocean acidification, higher sea and land temperatures (global warming), and extreme weather events (National Trust, 2009). Because of the rising sea levels, there is a threat of the Sydney Opera House, sinking due to lack of stability. What would happen if the Sydney Opera House was not maintained and conserved? Would the economy differ? The Sydney Opera House relies solely on the patrons it attracts for the diverse performances and activities it provides, and the substantial iconic pull it has world-wide. The Sydney Opera House also provides customers for the surrounding dining (restaurants, bars etc), accommodation (hotels), transport (ferry, train, bus etc) and vast activities that are available in the harbour. The Sydney Opera House is one of the most eventful performing arts centres in the world, providing over 1, 500 performances each year, and therefore attended by an estimated 2 million people, who intern provide the revenue for different events that occur in and around the Opera House, as well as the many hospitality industries also surrounding the venue. Conservation: Recommendations for Improvement In regards to the sea levels rising, the president of the Australian chapter of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, Peter Phillips states that, If sea levels rise, they will all be gone. We want the Minister to realise that there are genuine threats but there are genuine solutions. At its most extreme example, it could mean building a dam around the Opera House (Cooper, 2007). Obviously it is difficult to completely stop the impact of climate change on any Natural Heritage site; however, they are able to be saved for a minimum amount of money with a primary focus on maintenance. However, Comprehensive statutory and associated frameworks are in place across three levels of government to ensure that the present condition of the property is maintained to an exceptional standard (Sydney Opera House 08/09 Annual Report, 2009). They ensure that the building and surroundings are maintained through conservation programs, which are regularly undertaken. The Sydney Opera House Trust and the Australian and New South Wales Governments also thoroughly examine the maintenance situation throughout the year. The Sydney Opera House is ensured protection under various laws as it is listed as a Heritage site on National, State and Local government heritage lists and registers (Sydney Opera House 08/09 Annual Report, 2009). CONCLUSION The Sydney Opera House is instantaneously recognised by a vast number of people around the world as one of the most internationally acclaimed symbolic buildings in the world today. The significance of the building does not only relate to the city if Sydney or even Australia, but the nation as a whole. The Pritzker Price officially recognises that the Sydney Opera House was one of the great iconic buildings of the twentieth century and that it was an image of great beauty known throughout the world (Sydney Opera House 08/09 Annual Report, 2009). APENDIX I Key Dates for the Sydney Opera House Key Dates Achievements 1957 JÃ ¸rn Utzon wins Sydney Opera House design competition (January) 1959 Work begins on Stage 1 building the foundations despite Utzons protest that plans were not finalised (March 1966 JÃ ¸rn Utzon resigns (February) 1973 First guided tours of Sydney Opera House (July) First performance in Sydney Opera House Australian Opera performed Prokofievs War and Peace in the Opera Theatre (September) Opening Ceremony and Royal Concert with HRH Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh (October 20) 1979 Concert Hall Grand Organ completed (May) 1999 Opening of The Studio new venue for contemporary performing arts (March) JÃ ¸rn Utzon is re-engaged and appointed design consultant to the Sydney Opera House (August) 2000 Sydney Opera House Producers Unit established (October) 2002 Sydney Opera House Utzon Design Principles published (May) 2003 Sydney Opera House Conservation Plan published (June) State Heritage Listing achieved (December) 2004 Backstage Tour launched (April) Utzon Room opened first venue at Sydney Opera House designed by JÃ ¸rn Utzon (September) Recording Studio opened (October) 2005 National Heritage Listing achieved (July) 2006 Asian Language Tour launched in Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (January) Colonnade opened by HRH Queen Elizabeth II designed by JÃ ¸rn Utzon, it is the first change to the exterior of the building since its completion in 1973 (March) 2007 World Heritage Listing achieved (June) The Essential Tour launched (October) 2008 Visionary Sydney Opera House architect, JÃ ¸rn Utzon dies peacefully in his sleep (November) 2009 Western Foyers fully refurbished (July)

The Power of the Media to Influence Public Opinion Essay -- Media and

Police officers are an integral part of our society, they exist to establish and maintain stability and safety for the citizens which are in their jurisdiction. However, that great responsibility does not come without a downside, when people are given power there will always be someone who will abuse it. Our law enforcement staff is no exception to this rule; in 2010 there were 4,861 reports of police misconduct in the United States (NPMSRP). Police misconduct can mean anything from fraud or theft, to sexual assault or the use of excessive force. These are all fairly serious allegations and for many officers these are career ruining. Notwithstanding, there are also many police officers, like the police officers responsible for the famous Rodney King case, who merely get a slap on the wrist for the crimes which they have committed - that is until the media took hold of the case. The media was a very large part of not only the Rodney King case, but also many other cases throughout his tory. In this paper I will demonstrate several famous cases of police brutality throughout the globe and the influence of both the media and the new emerging forms of social media on both the process and the eventual outcome of said cases. Tiananmen Square One of the most famous cases of police brutality in history was easily the events which occurred during the Tiananmen Square protests in the spring of 1989 . This event was started by a group of students who wished to incite a sort of â€Å"Cultural Revolution† (Zhao). These peaceful protests included many events of anâ€Å"American† sort such as rock concerts and managed to unite much of the nation after the death of Hu Yaobang. (Pan 1) They came from the walled compounds of the Communist Party elite an... ...rned-from-rodney-king>. Pan, Philip P. Out of Mao's Shadow: The Struggle for the Soul of a New China. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008. Print. Su, Yang. "Uptodate." Uptodate. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. . United States. National Security Agency. Secretary. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. . Wilson, Stan. "Riot Anniversary Tour Surveys Progress and Economic Challenges in Los Angeles." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. . Zhao, Ziyang (2009). "The origins of the 1989 Student Movement". Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang. Simon & Schuster. Print.

Ethical Theories Essay

Ethical egoism or egotism (also known as egoism) is the normative ethical arrangement that ethical agents have to do what is in their personal self-interest. It is different from psychological egoism, which declares that persons simply perform in their self-interest. Psychological egoism or egotism is the outlook that individuals are always aggravated by self-interest; even in what appears to be actions of altruism. It states that, when individuals decide to assist others, they do so eventually because of the private benefits that they themselves anticipate to get hold of, directly or indirectly, from acting so. It is indeed a non-normative vision, as it only makes arguments about how things are and not how they should be; it is conversely, linked to numerous other normative shapes of egoism, for instance ethical egoism and rational egoism. (Lundy, 2009). A quarrel for psychological egoism advises is that individuals just do what makes them sense fine, thus making all actions self-centered, for instance, you may help a turtle across a road because if you did not you would be upset about its well-being crossing the road. So in turn to sense good physically, you assist the turtle. The issue with this is it sounds like it is defining a generous person, one that gains contentment from serving others, a selfish person most probable would not have been dreadfully worried for the turtle in the first instance. Furthermore, if we glance to the deeper stimulus of the turtle helper’s actions, as the psychological egoists are likely to do and inquire why the individual derives pleasure from serving others in general and the turtle particularly, you will most probable run into the wrapping up that the individual cares about what comes about to others. This line of quarrel is actually a perplexity of the object of aspiration and auxiliary results of the consummation of that need; if once you get wedded you are enormously satisfied, that does not inevitably suggest that you got wedded with the wish for that pleasure in mind, rather the contentment is a purpose of your desire for wedding and would not be otherwise. Ethical egoism is the normative assumption that the encouragement of one’s own good is in accordance with morals, in the strong side, it is held that it is for all time moral to encourage one’s own good and it is by no means moral not to encourage it. In the weak side, it is supposed that even though it is for all time moral to promote one’s own good, it is not inevitably never moral to not. Explicitly, there might be conditions in which the evasion of private interest may be a moral deed. Ethical egoism states that moral agents ought to do what is in their own self-interest. It differs from psychological egoism, which claims that people do only act in their self-interest. The principle of psychological egoism is non-ethical, supported by the idea that the reason that drives us is the hunt of our own wellbeing, to the barring of anybody else’s, it is just how we are, entirely self centered. Freud (1923) defined ego as â€Å"the mind-ful rationalizing segment of the mind. †, so each action reasoned out has deeds to serve the self. On the contrary, ethical egoists suppose that the moral significance lies in glancing out for yourself and when provoked this way, each action, even serving others, takes you further down the road to attaining your own finest interests. The difference would appear to lie in the entire selfishness of psychological egoism as opposite to the helping of other’s wellbeing while focusing on one’s own, this appears equally beneficial and enhanced for society. It is uncertain whether each theory can be held as a factual ethical philosophy, if the classification of self-centeredness is applied, meaning that we always repudiate to judge others in favor of our own satisfaction, aggravated by our needs only, then facts of misleading notion has shown this to be incorrect. Self-interest portrays an individual who is engrossed in what he perceives to be what serves up his interests best, if applied to ethical egoism, there is proof to knock over this as well, it would require to be a general concept to have the power to stand as a moral assumption and it is not. The proof of altruistic instincts and integrity of concern for others is more general and stronger than either of these two above mentioned theories. It is more probable that we all own elements of self-interest and self-conservation, but are intrinsically willing to help and get by with others in society; nevertheless, it is in our best concerns to do so. (The internet encyclopedia of philosophy, n. d. ). Frequently attacks of self-interest are leveled alongside anyone performing in their own advantage as if no one should be concerned for themselves; I suggest that there is a distinction between self-centeredness and self-interest, self-centeredness is performing in your benefit with no regard and sometimes hurting other individuals. On the contrary, self-interest assists society flourish, self-interest is performing in your benefit but with reflection of others needs. Self-interest for a person, corporation or state is crucial for endurance. Reference Lundy, A. (2009). Psychological and Ethical Egoism. June 30th, 2009. Retrieved from: http://www. socyberty. com/Philosophy/Psychological-and-Ethical-Egoism. 508525 The internet encyclopedia of philosophy. (n. d. ). Egoism. June 30th, 2009. Retrieved from: http://www. iep. utm. edu/e/egoism. htm Vita, L. E. (2007). On Selfishness and Self-Interest. June 30th, 2009. Retrieved from: http://ethanleevita. blogspot. com/2007/12/on-selfishness-and-self-interest. html