A Look Out for Academic Impacts of Social Networking Sites...

African Journal of Business Management Vol. 5(12), pp. 5022-5031, 18 June, 2011 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBM DOI: 10.5897/AJBM11.595 ISSN 1993-8233  ©2011 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper A look out for academic impacts of Social networking sites (SNSs): A student based perspective Ishfaq Ahmed* and Tehmina Fiaz Qazi Hailey College of Commerce, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Accepted 20 April, 2011 This study implies the exploration of relationship between SNSs usage and educational performance of the student users. A sample of one thousand students was selected from different universities of Pakistan. In first step of Multistage Sampling Technique, simple random sampling†¦show more content†¦Considering its popularity among students, Facebook high school version was launched in September, 2005. Its members are multiplying greatly with each day passing i.e. Facebook had 100million users on Aug. 26, 2008 while this number increased to 500million on Jul. 21, 2010 and growth rate was 153% during the last year (blog.Facebook.com). Social networking sites brought many positive implications to human life. The idea of social globe or global village has been translated into reality through these sites connecting millions of people from all around the world. Simultaneous communication of many people even at distant places promotes the creation of social capital fetching persona l, professional and social benefits not only to the users of these sites but to the society as a whole. But every technological revolution brings some dilemmas and darker issues along as well. Likewise, these increasing links and networks online are setting back the real values of life especially students are accepting some adverse impacts from using these sites as they form the major chunk of SNSs users. An ever increasing growth rate of SNSs not only calls for the parental and teacher monitoring of student users but also attracting the focus of academicians and researchers towards this phenomenon. In September, 2005, out of total adult internet users (18-29 years) 16% were those who were using any social networking site and this percentage increased to 86% onShow MoreRelatedEffects of Social Networking Sites to Students4872 Words   |  20 Pagesphp/IJBAS The Effect of Social Networking Sites to the Lifestyles of Teachers and Students in Higher Educational Institutions Seguya Asad1, Md. Abdullah-Al-Mamun2, Che Kum Clement3 Department of Technical and Vocational Education, Islamic University of Technology 1 E-mail: sgyasad@yahoo.co.uk , abmamun@iut-dhaka.edu2, chekum@iutdhaka.edu3 Abstract With the creation of Social Networking Sites, colleges and universities across the globe have been playing catch-up with students. This new technology carriesRead MoreA Case Study of Online Social Networking at Workplaces in Ghana9658 Words   |  39 PagesA CASE STUDY OF ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING AT WORKPLACES IN GHANA Kwabena Adom Asiedu ID: 2760206 Submitted To the Regent University College Of Science And Technology In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Degree Of Bachelor Of Science In Management With Computing 2010 1 ABSTRACT This is descriptive study which adopts a case study strategy to identify the perceptions of employers and employees in Ghana about productivity and online social networking at the workplace. A numberRead MoreSocial Networking Site14603 Words   |  59 PagessCHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction- Social Networking Sites Few years back, usage of social networking sites became popular around the world. Social networking sites are also known as social networking website. Social networking sites (SNSs) are increasingly attracting the attention of academic and industry researchers’ fascinated by their affordances and reach. Social networking sites are web-base service that building an online community of people that share same interest, or activitiesRead Morebullet theory7360 Words   |  30 Pagesï » ¿Bullet Theory The magic bullet perspective, also called the hypodermic needle model, is a model for communications. Magic bullet theory has been around since the 1920s to explain amp;ldquo;how mass audiences might react to mass media,amp;rdquo; reports Media Know All. According to University of Twent in the Netherlands, the theory states that mass media has a amp;ldquo;direct, immediate and powerful effect on its audiences. History Several factors, including widespread popularity of radio

American Gun Laws Free Essays

Gun laws in the United States of America need to be altered in order to make American society safer. The Second Amendment of the Constitution reads â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. † This means that from the point any American child is born they have the right to possess a gun and use it for their own safety. We will write a custom essay sample on American Gun Laws or any similar topic only for you Order Now How can a child as young as the age of ten years old know the difference between using a gun for their safety and playing with a gun putting themselves into danger? One state in America called Virgin has its very own law that every person must possess a gun. The law in the United States approves of blind men or woman having the right to possess a gun. If you are mentally affected you are also eligible to possess a gun. How can this be legal? Semi- automatic and automatic guns can be legally purchased in most US states by anyone who doesn’t have a violent criminal record. What is a violent criminal record? The law itself is not worded correctly. Semi-automatic guns are weapons which perform all steps necessary preparing the weapon to fire again after one shot. Automatic guns are firearms which keep firing bullets until the trigger is released. Why should every day American citizens need these sorts of weapons to â€Å"protect themselves†? Ammunition for guns can be purchased at nearly every store around the United States including Kmart and even in a barbers shop. Not only are you able to buy ammunition for very powerful guns but you are also legally allowed to buy as many sets of ammunition as you desire. Seventeen cents is all you need to purchase one bullet in America. If Americans wanted fewer people dying from guns every year they would change the price and the fact that guns are so easy to access dramatically. If bullets were 7,000 dollars each they would be used more carefully. This would influence a massive change in people dying per year from â€Å"gun accidents† as Americans would become very cautious in using their ammunition wisely. In 1999 two boys, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School. They purchased their weapons legally from the local Kmart. They used semi-automatic guns, shot guns and even possessed 99 explosives and 4 knives. They shot 900 rounds of ammunitions killing a total of 12 students and one teacher and then themselves. The massacre started a debate over gun laws and the availability of firearms to high school students. It resulted in an increase emphasis on school security. Students in American schools now must go through metal detector before entering their daily lasses. Security also checks for any sharp metal such as nail clippers but they do not focusing on the fact that guns are a large cause of death. One child was suspended from his school because he was carrying around a stapler. Guns are still legally allowed in schools. 45% of US households have at least one gun. Around 59. 1 million adults in the United States own a gun. There is no law stating that you need to register your gun so it is impossible to know exactly who owns a gun and how many guns are being sold. 31,593 helpless lived were killed in 2011 by guns. This is a clear message. Guns are not doing any good. Therefore they should not be allowed. Guns should not be used to take others lives. They should be used in the military to protect the country not to kill. They should be used for people that like to go hunting. Semi-automatic and automatic guns are not used to kill a dear so why are they allowed to be sold to any civilised person in the United States? It is said that the availability of a gun makes it more likely that you will have feelings of anger or thoughts of suicide. 381 people have died from gun shooting in Germany, 255 in France, 165 in the UK, 59 in Japan and 39 in Australia. Why is it that approximately 100,000 American people die every year from guns? This is 300 people per day losing their lives because of guns. This is screaming out to Americans that they have to act now. Waiting another year is just losing 100,000 more lives. The news in America impacts greatly on the way society looks at their safety. The TV advertises violence sending a bad message across to any children in the United States. One hour before the Columbine shooting America bombed a school and a hospital in Iraq. This is not setting a good example. Changing the gun laws is a battle between freedoms and safety. It is a battle between freedom for the American people as they have lived their whole lives with the idea that they are safe as they have possession of guns. They have grown up with parents teaching them how to use a gun and in many cases this can lead to good and bad. It can be bad because a child might accidently use a gun for the wrong reasons or their parents have taught them the wrong way of using one. Putting themselves into danger and for good as some families might be smart enough to tell their children there are other ways of protection over guns. It is a battle between safety for all the reasons above. Guns have been seen to be used for nothing but bad in the past and this needs to change. 20 people in America are dying every single hour from a gun. This is not only telling us that they are not used for safety precautions but it is telling us that the American citizens are not very educated in their actions and the way they act. Most Americans might be very good at handling guns and not using them for the worse but to think that so many are dying from one machine and nothing is changing is not good at all. In Australia around about 65 people are killed by guns every year. In America around about 11,127 people are killed by guns every year. 40% of guns sold are not sold without a background check. This means that people with criminal records are easy accepted to own a gun when they are said not to be. The Law says that is you have a criminal record you are unable to possess a gun but many Americans are still easily getting one. This is a wakeup call. America should not be allowing possession of guns for the safety of their own country. Where there are more guns, there are more deaths. America has to start acting now before another 100,000 people are dead. How to cite American Gun Laws, Papers

Bcg on Hul free essay sample

Once you know which businesses stand where in your business portfolio, you also come to know which businesses need investments, which needs harvesting (making money), which needs divesting (reducing investment) and which needs to be completely taken out of the business portfolio. For a major organization like HUL, ITC etc which have multiple categories and within the categories, they have multiple lines of products; the BCG analysis becomes very important. At a holistic level, they get to make a decision on which product to continue and which product to be divested. Which product can give new returns with good investment, and which products are reaching the apex of market share. BCG Growth Share Matrix –  The BCG growth share matrix was developed by Henderson of the BCG group in 1970? s. The matrix classifies businesses / SBU’s by 1) Relative Market Share –  The market share of the business / SBU / Product in the market as compared to its competitors and overall product / category. 2) Market growth rate –  The growth rate of the industry as a whole is taken into consideration from which the growth rate of the product is extrapolated. This growth rate is then pitched on the graph. Thus by having 2 basic but at the same time very important factors on X axis and Y axis, the BCG matrix makes sure that the classifications are concrete. Calculating the Market growth rate comprises of both industry growth and product growth rate thereby giving a fair knowledge of where the product / SBU stands in comparison to the Industry. The market share on the other hand comprises of the competition and the product potential in the market. Thus when we consider growth rate and market share together, it automatically gives us an overview of the competition and the industry standards as well as an idea of what the future might bring for the product. Once the businesses have been classified, they are placed into four different quadrants of the matrix. The quadrants of the matrix are divided into 1) Cash Cows –  High market share but low growth rate (most profitable). 2) Stars –  High market share and High growth rate (high competition) 3) Question marks –  Low market share and high growth rate (uncertainty) ) Dogs –  Low market share and low growth rate (less profitable or may even be negative profitability) On the basis of this classification, strategies are decided for each SBU / Product. Let’s discuss the characteristics and strategies of each quadrant in detail. Explanation: 1) Cash Cows –  The cornerstone of any multi product business, cash cows are products which a re having a high market share in  a low growing market. As the market is not growing, that cash cow gains the maximum advantage by generating maximum revenue due to its high market share. Thus for any company, the cash cows are the ones which require least investment but at the same time give higher returns. These higher returns enhance the overall profitability of the firm because this excess revenue can be used in other businesses which are Stars, Dogs or Question marks. In the case of HUL following are the Cash cows like Mass Soaps, Beverages, Oral care and Laundry which are running very well in the market today, Oral and Mass soap today is doing very good hence it is the cash cows for HUL today. Strategies for cash cow –  The cash cows are the most stable for any business and hence the strategy generally includes retention of the market share. As the market is not growing, acquisition is less and retention is high. Thus customer satisfaction programs, loyalty programs and other such promotional methods form the core of the marketing plan for a cash cow product / SBU. 2) Stars –  The best product which comes in mind when thinking of Stars is the telecom products. If you look at any top 5 telecom company, the market share is good but the growth rate too is good. Thus because these two factors are high, the telecom companies are always in competitive mode and they have to juggle between investment and harvesting vis investing money and taking out money time to time. Unlike cash cows, Stars cannot be complacent when they are top on because they can immediately be overtaken by another company which capitalizes on the market growth rate. However, if the strategies are successful, a Star can become a cash cow in the long run. Just like the products from HUL like Hair Care products, Skin Care products, Premium Soaps Laundry products, Deodorants and it’s lately release brand Water (PureIt) Strategies for Stars –  All types of marketing, sales promotion and advertising strategies are used for Stars. This is because in cash cow, already these strategies have been used and they have resulted in the formation of a cash cow. Similarly in Stars, because of the high competition and rising market share, the concentration and investment needs to be high in marketing  activities so as to increase and retain market share. ) Question Marks –  Several times, a company might come up with an innovative product which immediately gains good growth rate. However the market share of such a product is unknown. The product might lose customer interest and might not be bought anymore in which case it will not gain market share, the growth rate will go down and it will ultimately become a Dog. On the o ther hand, the product might increase customer interest and more and more people might buy the product thus making the product a high market share product. From here the product can move on to be a Cash Cow as it has lower competition and high market share. Thus Question marks are products which may give high returns but at the same time may also flop and may have to be taken out of the market. This uncertainty gives the quadrant the name â€Å"Question Mark†. The major problem associated with having Question marks is the amount of investment which it might need and whether the investment will give returns in the end or whether it will be completely wasted. Processed foods and Color Cosmetics are few of the Question Marks for HUL since it is very rare found in the market due to the reason that it is not giving results as much expected in the consumer market today. Strategies for Question marks –  As they are new entry products with high growth rate, the growth rate needs to be capitalized in such a manner that question marks turn into high market share products. New Customer acquisition strategies are the best strategies for converting Question marks to Stars or Cash cows. Furthermore, time to time market research also helps in determining consumer psychology for the product as well as the possible future of the product and a hard decision might have to be taken if the product goes into negative profitability. ) Dogs –  Products are classified as dogs when they have low market share and low growth rate. Thus these products neither generate high amount of cash nor require higher investments. However, they are considered as negative profitability products mainly because the money already invested in the product can be used somewhere else. Thus over here businesses have to take a decision whether they should divest these product s or they can revamp them and thereby make them saleable again which will subsequently increase the market share of the product. Dogs for HUL are its Sea Products which is definitely and alarm for HUL to kill it. Strategies for Dogs –  Depending on the amount of cash which is already invested in this quadrant, the company can either divest the product altogether or it can revamp the product through rebranding / innovation / adding features etc. However, moving a dog towards a star or a cash cow is very difficult. It can be moved only to the question mark region where again the future of the product is unknown. Thus in cases of Dog products, divestment strategy are used. Sequences in BCG Matrix [pic] Success Sequence in BCG Matrix – The Success sequence of BCG matrix happens when a question mark becomes a Star and finally it becomes a cash cow. This is the best sequence which really gives a boost to the company’s profits and growth. The success sequence unlike the disaster sequence is entirely dependent on the right decision making. Disaster sequence in BCG Matrix – Disaster sequence of BCG matrix happens when a product which is a cash cow, due to competitive pressure might be moved to a  star. It fails out from the competition and it is moved to a question mark and finally it may have to be divested because of its low market share and low growth rate. Thus the disaster sequence might happen because of wrong decision making. This sequence affects the company as a lot of investments are lost to the divested product. Along with this the money coming in from the cash cow which is used for other products too is lost. Results on the strategies for HUL based on the BCG Matrix. There are four strategies possible for any product / SBU and these are the strategies which are used after the BCG analysis. These strategies are 1) Build –  By increasing investment, the product is given an impetus such that the product increases its market share. Example  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Pushing a Question mark into a Star and finally a cash cow (Success sequence) ) Hold –  The company cannot invest or it has other investment commitments due to which it holds the product in the same quadrant. Example –  Holding a star there itself as higher investment to move a star into cash cow is currently not possible. 3) Harvest –  Best observed in the Cash cow scenario, wherein the company reduces the amount of i nvestment and tries to take out maximum cash flow from the said product which increases the overall profitability. 4) Divest –  Best observed in case of Dog quadrant products which are generally divested to release the amount of money already stuck in the business.

Longer Lonely Essays - Lakota People, , Term Papers

No Longer Lonely The sun shone and the children gleefully played as the lonely man in the worn blue sweater sat feeding the birds. He sat there every day, just feeding the birds and watching the children have their fun. As I ran around the paths in the park, I could see him sitting there, always alone. I slowly jogged around the path and as I rounded the sharp corner, I looked for the man who usually sat on the old bench in the far corner of the park. I could see him sitting there, one ankle, clothed in a shocking white athletic sock, crossed over his knee. He wore the same thing every day, the clothes looked like they had seen better days. His muddy brown pants were threadbare and looked like they belonged to a giant. To hold them up he had to use suspenders, on this bright morning he had chosen a crimson red pair. Covering his stooped shoulders was a worn blue sweater, the color made me think of cornflowers. Navy and dirty white canvas sneakers adorned his feet. His white sock could be seen through a gaping hole in the sole. These shoes had taken him to many different places. They were like an old friend that he couldn't say goodbye to. On this particular day the sun was shining down, warming the earth and lake, so many children played on the wooden swing set. From where I stood on the path, I could hear their cheerful shouts, but could not see them. What I could see was the old man's face. He had strong features: a broad nose, deep-set eyes, and pronounced cheekbones. They had all sunken into a deep sea of wrinkles over the years. You could tell that he had once been a handsome young man. He was of an average height, but appeared taller as he sat with a ramrod straight back. His eyes were an aquatic blue color, like the water off of the coast of Puerto Rico. His hair was receding and had turned a pure white instead of burnished silver. He appeared to be a distinguished gentleman. He watched the children swing and slide on the rickety swing set. From where I stood there appeared to be a look of nostalgia on his face. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Was it a memory of his own childhood? Whatever the memory was, it made him appear to be missing something. While he sat looking at the children, he reached beside him and pulled out a brown lunch bag, spotted with grease marks. Slowly, with liver spotted hands, he reached into the bag. The act of curling his fingers around something inside made him wince in pain. I could imagine the pain that his body was wracked with, thanks to arthritis. I wanted to run up and help him, but the look of determination on his face stopped me from approaching him. Carefully extracting his hand, he pulled out a handful of birdseed and bread crumbs. With a wide sweep of his arm, he spread the mixture all over the ground. He repeated this act several times, until a few gray pigeons came to feast. With a small smile on his face, he watched the birds eat their meal. It was the happiest I had ever seen him. Slowly, so as not to disturb the birds, I approached the balding man. Sitting down next to him I introduced myself. Nodding his head, he mentioned that he often saw me running. Spreading birdseed from the mixture he offered me, I felt relaxed. Smelling the warm earth and listening to the children's cries mixed with the sounds of nature was wonderful. I could feel the tension easing out of me. As I sat next to him I observed his facial expressions. He appeared to be oddly at peace. Curious about what he was thinking to appear so content, I asked him what he was thinking. His response surprised me, something that rarely happens. He told me that he was no longer lonely; he now had me. A lonely old man in the park taught me an important lesson. Sometimes the greatest things are overlooked. I only saw him as a lonely old man missing something from his life. Then I sat down next to him. Next time, instead of observing, maybe I'll sit with him again. Sometimes, sitting next to someone and keeping them company, is all the happiness they will

Juan Sebastián Elcano, Ferdinand Magellans Replacement

Juan Sebastin Elcano, Ferdinand Magellan's Replacement Juan Sebastin Elcano (1487–August 4, 1526) was a Spanish (Basque) sailor, navigator, and explorer best remembered for leading the second half of the first round-the-world navigation, having taken over after the death of Ferdinand Magellan. Upon his return to Spain, the King presented him with a coat of arms that contained a globe and the phrase: â€Å"You Went Around Me First.† Fast Facts: Juan Sebastian Elcano Known For: Leading the second half of Ferdinand Magellans first round-the-world navigation after Magellan diedBorn: 1487 in Guetaria, a fishing village in Gipuzkoa, SpainParents: Domingo Sebastian de Elcano and Dona Catalina del PuertoDied: August 4, 1526 at sea (Pacific Ocean)Spouse: NoneChildren: A son Domingo del Cano by Mari Hernandez de Hernialde and an unnamed daughter by Maria de Vidaurreta of Valladolid Early Life Juan Sebastin Elcano (in Basque; the Spanish spelling of his name is written as del Cano) was born in 1487 in Guetaria, a fishing village in the Guipuzcoa province of Spain. He was the eldest of nine children of Domingo Sebastian de Elcano and Dona Catalina del Puerto. He was related to the Gaiza de Arzaus and Ibarrola families, who held important positions in the Casa de Contratacion in Seville, the Spanish crowns agency for the Spanish empire, a thin but later useful family connection. Elcano and his brothers became seafarers, learning navigation by ferrying contraband goods to French ports. He was an adventurer, fighting with the Spanish Army in Algiers and Italy before settling down as captain/owner of a merchant ship. As a young man, however, he led a prodigal and wayward life and often had more debts than money to pay them. Italian companies demanded that he surrender his ship to cover his debts, but he later found he had broken Spanish law by doing so and had to ask the king for a pardon. Young King Charles V agreed, but on the condition that the skilled sailor and navigator (with good connections) serve with an expedition the king was funding: the search for a new route to the Spice Islands, led by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan. The Magellan Expedition Elcano was given the position of ship’s master on board the Concepcià ³n, one of five ships making up the fleet. Magellan believed that the globe was smaller than it actually is and that a shortcut to the Spice Islands (now known as the Maluku Islands in present-day Indonesia) was possible by going through the New World. Spices such as cinnamon and cloves were immensely valuable in Europe at the time and a shorter route would be worth a fortune to whoever found it. The fleet set sail in September 1519 and made its way to Brazil, avoiding Portuguese settlements due to hostilities between the Spanish and Portuguese. As the fleet made its way south along the coast of South America looking for a passage west, Magellan decided to call a halt in the sheltered bay of San Julin because he feared continuing on in bad weather. Left idle, the men began to talk of mutiny and returning to Spain. Elcano was a willing participant and had by then assumed command of the ship San Antonio. At one point, Magellan ordered his flagship to fire on the San Antonio. In the end, Magellan put down the mutiny and had many of the leaders killed or marooned. Elcano and others were pardoned, but not until after a period of forced labor on the mainland. To the Pacific Around this time, Magellan lost two ships: the San Antonio returned to Spain (without permission) and the Santiago sank, although all of the sailors were rescued. By this time, Elcano was captain of the Concepcià ³n, a decision by Magellan that probably had much to do with the fact that the other experienced ships captains had been executed or marooned after the mutiny or had gone back to Spain with the San Antonio. In October–November 1520, the fleet explored the islands and waterways at the southern tip of South America, eventually finding a passage through what is known today as the Strait of Magellan. According to Magellan’s calculations, the Spice Islands should have only been a few days of sailing away. He was badly mistaken: his ships took four months to cross the South Pacific. Conditions were miserable on board and several men died before the fleet reached Guam and the Marianas Islands and were able to resupply. Continuing westward, they reached the present-day Philippines in early 1521. Magellan found he could communicate with the natives through one of his men, who spoke Malay: they had reached the eastern edge of the world known to Europe. Death of Magellan In the Philippines, Magellan befriended the King of Zzubu, who was eventually baptized with the name of â€Å"Don Carlos.† Unfortunately, Don Carlos convinced Magellan to attack a rival chieftain for him, and Magellan was one of several Europeans killed in the ensuing battle. Magellan was succeeded by Duarte Barbosa and Juan Serrao, but both were treacherously killed by â€Å"Don Carlos† within a few days. Elcano was now second in command of the Victoria, under Juan Carvalho. Low on men, they decided to scuttle the Concepcià ³n and head back to Spain in the two remaining ships: the Trinidad and the Victoria. Return to Spain Heading across the Indian Ocean, the two ships made a stop in Borneo before finding themselves at the Spice Islands, their original goal. Packed with valuable spices, the ships set out again. About this time, Elcano replaced Carvalho as captain of the Victoria. The Trinidad soon had to return to the Spice Islands, however, as it was leaking badly and eventually sank. Many of the Trinidad’s sailors were captured by the Portuguese, although a handful managed to find their way to India and from there back to Spain. The Victoria sailed on cautiously, as they had gotten word that a Portuguese fleet was looking for them. Miraculously evading the Portuguese, Elcano sailed the Victoria back into Spain on September 6, 1522. By then, the ship was crewed by only 22 men: 18 European survivors of the voyage and four Asians they had picked up en route. The rest had died, deserted or, in some cases, been left behind as unworthy of sharing in the spoils of the rich cargo of spices. The King of Spain received Elcano and granted him a coat of arms bearing a globe and the Latin phrase Primus circumdedisti me, or â€Å"You Went Around Me First.† Death and Legacy In 1525, Elcano was picked to be the chief navigator for a new expedition led by the Spanish nobleman Garcà ­a Jofre de Loaà ­sa, who intended to retrace Magellan’s route and establish a permanent colony in the Spice Islands. The expedition was a fiasco: of seven ships, only one made it to the Spice Islands, and most of the leaders, including Elcano, perished of malnutrition during the arduous Pacific crossing. Elcano wrote a last will and testament, leaving money to his two illegitimate children and their mothers back in Spain, and died on August 4, 1526. Because of his elevation to noble status upon his return from the Magellan expedition, Elcano’s descendants continued to hold the title of Marquis for some time after his death. As for Elcano himself, he has unfortunately been mostly forgotten by history, as Magellan still gets all the credit for the first circumnavigation of the globe. Elcano, although well-known to historians of the Age of Exploration (or Age of Discovery), is little more than a trivia question to most, although there is a statue of him in his hometown of Getaria, Spain and the Spanish Navy once named a ship after him. Sources Fernandez de Navarrete, Eustaquio. Historia De Juan Sebastian Del Cano. Nicholas de Soraluce y Zubizarreta, 1872. Mariciano, R. De Borja. Basques in the Philippines. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2005. Sebastian del Cano, Juan. Original of the Testament of Juan Sebastian Del Cano Made on Board the Ship, Victoria, One of the Ships of Comendador Garcia De Loaysa on Its Way to the South Sea. The Philippines under Spain; a Compilation and Translation of Original Documents. Book 1 (1518-1565): The Voyages of Discovery. Eds. Benitez Licuanan, Virginia and Josà © Llavador Mira. Manila: National Trust for Historical and Cultural Preservation of the Philippines, 1526 (1990). Thomas, Hugh. Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan. 1st edition, Random House, June 1, 2004.

Booker T. Washington, African-American Educator

Booker T. Washington, African-American Educator Booker Taliaferro Washington grew up the child of a slave in the South during the Civil War. Following emancipation, he moved with his mother and stepfather to West Virginia, where he worked in salt furnaces and a coal mine but also learned to read. At age 16, he made his way to Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, where he excelled as a student and later took on an administrative role. His belief in the power of education, strong personal  morals, and economic self-reliance earned him to a position of influence among both black and white Americans of the time. He launched Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now Tuskegee University, in a one-room shanty in 1881, serving as the schools principal until his death in 1915. Dates:  April 5, 1856 (undocumented) - November 14, 1915 His Childhood Booker Taliaferro was born to Jane, a slave who cooked on a Franklin County, Virginia plantation owned by James Burroughs, and an unknown white man. The surname Washington came from his stepfather, Washington Ferguson. Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, the blended family, which included step-siblings, moved to West Virginia, where Booker worked in salt furnaces and a coal mine. He later secured a job as a houseboy for the mine owners wife, an experience he credited with his respect for cleanliness, thrift, and hard work. His illiterate mother encouraged his interest in learning, and Washington managed to attend an elementary school for black children. Around the age of 14, after traveling on foot 500 miles to get there, he enrolled in Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. His Continuing Education and Early Career Washington attended Hampton Institute from 1872 to 1875. He distinguished himself as a student, but he did not have a clear ambition upon graduation. He taught both children and adults back in his West Virgina hometown, and he briefly attended the Wayland Seminary in Washington, D.C. He went back to Hampton as an administrator and teacher, and while there, received the recommendation that led him to the principalship of a new Negro Normal School approved by the Alabama state legislature for Tuskegee. He later earned honorable degrees from both Harvard University and Dartmouth College. His Personal Life Washingtons first wife, Fannie N. Smith, died after just two years of marriage. They had one child together. He remarried and had two children with his second wife, Olivia Davidson, but she too died just four years later. He met his third wife, Margaret J. Murray, at Tuskegee; she helped raise his children and remained with him until his death. His Major Accomplishments Washington was chosen in 1881 to head the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. During his tenure until his death in 1915, he built Tuskegee Institute into one of the worlds leading centers of education, with a historically black student body. Though Tuskegee remained his primary undertaking, Washington also put his energy towards expanding educational opportunities for black students throughout the South. He founded the National Negro Business League in 1900. He also sought to help impoverished black farmers with agricultural education and promoted health initiatives for blacks. He became a sought-after speaker and advocate for blacks, though some were angered at his seeming acceptance of segregation. Washington advised two American presidents on racial matters, Theodore Roosevelt  and William Howard Taft. Among numerous articles and books, Washington published his autobiography, Up From Slavery, in 1901. His Legacy Throughout his life, Washington stressed the importance of education and employment for black Americans. He advocated cooperation between the races  but was at times criticized for accepting segregation. Some other prominent leaders of the time,  especially  W.E.B. Dubois, felt his views promoting vocational education for blacks curtailed their civil rights and social advancement. In his later years, Washington began to agree with his more liberal contemporaries on the best methods for achieving equality.

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be Essay

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be re-designed using KM and OL principles to increase innovat - Essay Example The various HRM practices would give an insight into the functionality of the Malaysian organizations and on the various procedures of conducting operations like training, selection, staffing and recruitment (Barnes 2002, 220-320). Finally, the study will highlight how the inclusion of OL and KM principles would lead to the betterment of the functionality of the organizations. Human Resources Management Practices in Malaysia In Malaysian organizations, the focus is on the integration of HR activities and practices which requires the alignment of the existing personal HR practices with the interests of the employee and personnel (Gelder 2005, 322). The strategic importance and emphasis is given on the integration of activities in the electronic industry of Malaysia. This strategic integration is an important element as it helps in solving the complexities of the problems and also, in assessing the interpretation of the problems (Gill 2000, 23). The HR strategy formulation is also give n its much deserved importance in Malaysian organizations which lay emphasis on the development and implementation of internal consistent polices and practices designed for the accomplishment of objectives (Hashim 2009, 224). The HRM practices in the human resource development process helps in the organizational innovation process. Malaysian organizations concentrate on the importance of the HR business and organizational strategy and also, on the protection of assets. However, it has been observed that the Malaysian organization does not believe in the job rotation facilities and hammers on imparting the operation knowledge (Haslinda and Sarinah 2013, 324). The Malaysian organizations are highly dependent on technological innovations and procedures which need to be re-designed constructively for enhancing the organizational outcome and also, for improving the existing systems. Figure 1: Human Resources in Malaysia (Source: Curtin University of Technology 2005). Redesigning of HR Pr actices using the Knowledge & Organizational Learning Principles Knowledge Management (KM) principles help in the improvement of the existing systems by employing own attributes (Institutional Repository 2006).There are several methods to implement the change management techniques for continuous improvement in the existing systems (Laiken 2001, 23). This is because the KM principles vary according to the situation and help in the improvement of the operational abilities of the organization (Infed 2013). The process is not iterative and relies heavily on the management systems. It aids the amalgamation of the engineering process and systems and also, the analysis of the organizational dynamics (Lee and Ahn 2001, 213). The structuring of organizational dynamics would be required for the integration of activities and systems which would address all the organizational issues and problems. The model is used to hone the skills of the employees, redesign the organizational structure and al so, gain expertise through the exchange of knowledge systems with their colleagues. The Malaysian organization needs to emphasize on their functioning in three important facets of the organization. They are namely, virtual work team, community of practice (COP) and expertise network systems. These three elements stress on the creation and

Microprocessor Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Microprocessor Industry - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Intel has a competitive advantage creating its brand image; a point that effects from numerous competitive advantages indulging technological, distribution marketing as well as the ownership of Intel manufactures PCs. However, to improve on their value Intel is trying to keep their clients as their priority and promote dynamics on a regular basis to meet the demand of the employers. Product penetration and market penetration is very instrumental as they center on the existing markets. Moreover, relevant diversification for Intel will be a huge triumph especially as they have centered on broadband and portion. In conclusion, Intel has been very instrumental in the microprocessor industry and might have had some lapses last year that it is never too late to correct. The researcher thinks the company should put the customer’s interests at heart to make more sales and avoid what had happened last year when the world was going tablets. This report will analyze the business strategy of Intel Company looking into details at its resources and capabilities. It will also look into the Critical appraisal where the author compares the Intel’s business strategy to the success factors in this industry. The semi-conductor industry lives and perishes- by a simple creed: smaller, cheaper and faster. The advantage of being tiny is simple: finer lines insinuate more transistors can be fixed onto the same chip. The more the number of transistors on the chip the more efficient it is. Thanks in the large chunk to the competition and to new technologies that reduce the cost of production per chip, in just months; the price of a new chip can fall to 50%. As a result, there is a constant pressure exerted on the chipmakers, to improve their chips and come up with something better and more pocket-friendly than what redefined state-of-the-art a few months ago.

Logistical and dramatic factors to be decided upon in a production of Philadelphia Essay Example for Free

Logistical and dramatic factors to be decided upon in a production of Philadelphia Essay Friel raises issues, explores them to a certain degree. However the end is left open. The play â€Å"Philadelphia, Here I Come!† is both realistic as it presents real life situation, but also expressionistic, trying to dig into Gar’s subconscious. Gar has a choice to make, ultimatum that could vary depending if S.B. was to reveal his true emotions towards his son. Gar lacks the same attribute as his father; the ability to communicate with one another. Gar also failed to make an oral impression on Katie’s father in the past and this element cost him her hand in marriage. We are presented with Private Gar and Public Gar on the stage. Public Gar is the Gar that people see, talk to and talk about. Private Gar is the unseen character, the alter ego of our main hero. Although Public Gar is the only person that can hear Private talk he never looks at him, he cannot look at his alter ego. On stage two characters play Public and Private. One utters what is acceptable and the other utters what he’d really like to say if he wasn’t so inhabited. The central struggle is not between the public and private but between Gar both private and public and his father S.B. Apples don’t fall far from the tree, also outlined in the play by Madge who describes them as â€Å"two peas† that way Gar and S.B. are very similar, they are both afraid and embarrassed of expressing themselves emotionally. Neither one of them wants to look soft nor weak in front of one another, being emotionless proves their masculinity. Gar cannot think straight talking to his father, he contradicts with his thoughts and feels awkward just like he did asking Katie’s parents for her hand in marriage. Eventually we are taken back in time via flashback where we see Gar and Katie in love, they are planning to get married although Gar doesn’t earn enough to support them both, he is afraid to ask S.B. for a rise. Friel made a very deep and realistic attempt to present an ordinary Irish family and problems they are faced with, lack of money in the sixties and most importantly the overdose of masculinity which leads to lack of communication between father and son, issue that may occur in many people’s lives. Music is used to outline the mood changes and current flow of emotions of certain characters; Gar uses a turntable to present his mood and eventually gets frustrated and changes the record to a much more dynamic track, this way author presents the emotions of characters to the audience. The piece of music seems to suggest anxiety, change, and excitement – all emotions that Gar is feeling at that particular moment. This way Brial Friel attempts to dig into Gar’s subconscious. There is a nearly institutional quality to the shades of green, and the dim overhead lighting focuses attention in the central spaces over the kitchen table and Gar’s bed in the two rooms of the split set. Almost everything happens round the kitchen table, Gar’s friends drink and talk, S.B. plays a game with Cannon, Gar talk to S.B. about irrelevant stuff. The entire play happens within twenty-four hours and we are reminded of it throughout by the highlighted clock in the kitchen and clamorous sounds of the clock ticking in between the events. This way, Friel wants to point out the inner conflict of our main hero of the play, his time is running out and eventually, it will be for him to decide whether he leaves for Philadelphia or stays in Ballybeg. This is a play about finding one’s place in the world wherever that might be. Madge clears out some of the unresolved issues by telling us how Gar’s mother died and that S.B. in fact does have feelings but is unable to show them in public, it buggers him and he couldn’t get any sleep the night before Gar’s departure â€Å"It must have been near daybreak when he got to sleep last night†. Even though Gar’s new career in Philadelphia is meant to give him a new life, with lots of money and anything he would have ever wished for. Madge sees this as a way of escaping from Ballybeg and most importantly his father, â€Å"and when he’s the age of the boss, he’ll turn out just the same. And although I won’t be there to see it, you’ll find he’s learned nothing in between time†. Another important relationship is the one between Gar and Katie; they were in a serious relationship when they were younger. Her Father, Senator Doogan refused for them to marry after Gar miserably failed to make a positive verbal impression on Katie’s father. This scene is presented with a flashback where Gar’s mind flows back in time to that particular event. Kathy and Gar are happy together in his vision, Private Gar sarcastically responds to Kathy’s concerns about their possible future and money issues, â€Å"(imitating) how will we live?† Gar often repeated Edmond Burke’s speech on French Revolution â€Å"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the Queen of France, then the Dauphiness, at Versailles† he eventually realises that all this time he has been thinking about Kathy Doogan, this way Friel dug deep inside Gar’s subconscious by revealing his repression of emotions. In the end we don’t know whether he leaves for Philadelphia or stays in Ballybeg. Friel decided to keep the ending opened it’s for us to figure out whether he has any reason to leave or perhaps stay. In conclusion, Friel uses many stage directions to connect the audience with the characters. He presents us with Private Gar, alter ego that raises many concerns about his inner feelings, which we wouldn’t know about if Friel was to use just Public Gar. Flashback is presented to show previous events from the past in order to get deeper understanding of Gar. Music is outlined in the play to show Gar’s current emotions and their change for example we can tell his mood changes as he decides to play a much faster song. The entire play happens within twenty-four and we are reminded of it by the highlighted clock in the kitchen and clamorous sounds of it in between the scenes. Issue of the lack of communication between Gar and S.B. never gets resolved; we can tell that both of the characters suffer, as they’d like to express themselves. In the end with an open ending and not much gets resolved. It’s up to the reader to put the events in order and make personal judgement on the possible outcomes that may have resulted in the play.

Bright Star Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eliza Heywood

Eliza Haywood is a visionary. In her set of love letters, Love Letters on All Occasions, Haywood distinctly uses select words, such as metaphors, to subconsciously drive home the message to the reader. Whether it be re-enforcing the relationship between the two writers, or rather undercutting it, the reader understands their relationship more fully thanks to Haywood’s choice words. In Haywood’s collection Love Letters on All Occasions from her novel Fantomina and Other Works, two letters in particular, â€Å"Letter XXV† and â€Å"Letter XXVII†, Haywood’s use of metaphors and select word choices help to reinforce the sentiment between the writers to the reader. In â€Å"Letter XXV,† Haywood writes a letter from Theano to Elismonda. Reading the letter, the reader can clearly tell that Theano is madly in love with Elismonda. The fact that Haywood ends the letter with Theano writing, â€Å"My most loved, most Ador’d Elisamonda’s Constantly Zealous Votary, Theano† (Haywood 196) might as well be the final decal in the room Theano has built for Elismonda in his heart. Haywood’s use of the phrase â€Å"zealous votary† is one of the occasions where she re-enforces Theano’s love for Elismonda. Apart, the words â€Å"zealous† and â€Å"votary† don’t mean much. The Oxford English Dictionary defines zealous as â€Å"having or showing zeal,† (Oxford 1) which is â€Å"great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective† (1). Votary is defined as â€Å"a person, such as a monk or nun, who has made vows of dedication to religious service† (1). Haywoodâ €™s combination of the two terms is a metaphor for Theano’s devotion to Elismonda. He is constantly showing great enthusiasm in pursuit of Elismonda, who he views almost as a religion. He is a â€Å"votary,† but not as a monk or nun making ... ... her and knows he would never cross her. Haywood’s response letter written from Elismonda to Theano uses select language and references to his letters to re-enforce the readers apprehension of the complete and utter love these two writers feel for each other. Haywood uses metaphors and select word choices to help reinforce the sentiment between the writers to the reader in two letters, â€Å"Letter XXV† and â€Å"Letter XXVII† in her collection Love Stories on All Occasions from her novel Fantomina and Other Works. Unlike many works from this time frame, both Theano and Elismonda are madly in love with each other and desire each other greatly. This is a rare case of a happy couple in the age of Seduction Fiction, where most tales often ended in tragedy. Haywood’s account of Theano and Elismonda could be considered one of the bright stars in an otherwise cloudy night sky.

Organizational Behavior Essay

An effective organization or agency exhibits behavior conducive to a healthy workplace. The employees are motivated, satisfied, good communicators, and team-oriented. These elements help to promote a successful organization. Missing elements could disband an agency or create a hostile environment. Specific fundamentals can develop skills necessary to improve individual and organizational practices. Scientific foundations of organizational behavior suggest that individual attitudes, group dynamics, and relationships between managers and workers are an important focus (Schermerhorn, 2010). A positive attitude can have many benefits: less stress, self control, better relationships, and job security. A positive attitude can influence others and help build strong working relationships. This also affects job performance and assures the organization that its employees are satisfied. The goal of organizational behavior is to improve the performance of people, groups, organizations, and improve the quality of life (Schermerhorn, 2010). Motivation is an element that can be a driving force to an organization or the individuals involved. An employee’s sole motivation is personal or job development or financial purposes. The solution is to identify the factor that motivates an employee to attend work every day as scheduled and performs to the best of his or her abilities. These individuals set and achieve goals consistently and with persistence. This type of determination benefits the agency and the individual’s reputation. High employee performance relies on effective communication, creativity, and respect. Managers must be able to communicate with employees without fear. The mutual respect allows employees to provide feedback and actively respond. This permits an equal contribution within the team. The employee dynamic is the way in which coworkers interact with one another and their managers. Managers can assess the behavioral and organizational status of their workplace by asking employees to approach them when a problem arises  (Marquis, n.d.). Management practices must be tailored to fit the exact nature of each situation or individual. Managers must be able to understand the challenges and demands for different situations and craft responses to them that best fit circumstances or people involved (Schermerhorn, 2010). This makes the agency resilient and adaptable to various situations. Diversity in an organization is essential to recognize differences based on gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and only considering the performance of the individual. A diverse set of skills allows the agency to assist customers on a global scale. Successful organizations foster an attitude of openness and encourage new ideas and challenges. This is especially important in criminal justice and security organizations in which diversity is evident in communities. Employees will be introduced to a variety of cultures and diverse situations in which they will have to know how to correspond. Diversity in justice and security agencies promotes equal treatment under law. This protects the agency from over representing a specific racial group or other population from the streets to the court. Diversity is an element that proves effective internally and externally of any organization. No employee will be the same; personalities, social traits, and values will differ. It is the way the agency manages these situations that sets them apart. Ultimately, employee commitment defines the agency. Employee performance is directly related to his or her commitment to the jobs and the agency. Employees are representatives of the agency mission statement. The employee’s performance is motivated by passion or reward. The agency must reinforce positive behavior that demonstrates commitment. Employees exchange his or her commitment to performance to the organizations commitment of reward. The reward can be promotional, pay grade increase, material, or other form of recognition. Some employees are high performers because they love their job and are results driven. In every organization is a natural or appointed leader. The leader must be able to influence others to perform the organizations expectations and beyond. A formal leader is responsible for his or her results through talent management. Any agency is only as good as its employees; it is the duty of the leader to level set those expectations and lead through example. A leader is confident in his ability to encourage his staff to produce positive outcomes. The leader is concerned with task objectives, ethical, and well adjusted. Leaders in a criminal justice or security agency have many strong individuals to lead. Each of them is carefully selected and most of them will be leaders in his or her right. They are of good moral and ethical character, intelligent, professional, and influential. These individuals are representing a government agency working to accomplish a shared objective. These elements are crucial to the success of the organization and its members. References Marquis, A. (n.d.). Key Elements for Effective Behavior and Organizational Management. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from http://smallbusiness.chrone.com/key-elements-effective-behavior-organizational-management-43874.html Schermerhorn, R., Hunt, J.G., Osborn, R.N., Uhl-Blen, M. (2010). Organizational Behavior (7th ed.) Hoboken, NJ: JohnWiley & Sons.

Highfield video store currently Essay

Highfield video store currently uses a paper system to perform all the functions required for this business. Before I reach a decision on how to produce an advanced and improved system to the existing system it is imperative to choose the correct software to overcome this situation. I will need to evaluate and consider the factors that need to be tackled on producing this system by evaluating the end users requirements and expectations f the system to ensure the software chosen has the capability to overcome these requirements successfully and competently. As the company is looking for a more flexible data management system, so a database system is likely to be the right solution. Using Microsoft Access as a solution Advantages: o Microsoft Access is a relational database management system which allows a one to many relationships between tables. Thus greatly reduces data inconsistency and data redundancy. o Uses a familiar interface to perform a range of tasks such as; setting up tables, forms, queries, macros and reports. o This software allows complex procedures such as querying, report and form creation, filtering to be produced and mastered by inexperienced users via the use of wizards. o Access can provide a variety of user friendly forms for different functions through the toolbox features of this software which include list boxes, command buttons, check boxes, labels etc. This allows forms to be customised and concurrently have a familiar look and feel of the forms. o Contains advanced features such as queries which can answer complex requests which the user may have and provide a combination of data from multiple tables and place specific boundaries on the data retrieved. Report features have the capacity to produce attractive professional formatted summaries of data contained in more than one table. Also macros can also perform complex or numerous operations with a click of a button/icon. Disadvantages: o This software package very large and complex piece of software. Therefore, it requires a lot of patience and perseverance to familiarize and learn the vast number of features available in this database package. o Microsoft Access is designed to manage small number of database records and the performance of the system will reduce with an increase in records as the software is a low capacity database. Using Microsoft Excel as a solution Advantages: o Numerous functions are available to perform a range of diverse tasks. These include VLOOKUPS which looks for a value in the leftmost column within a table and then returns a value in the same row from a column you specify. Other functions include COUNTIF, DCOUNT, MATCH etc. Also contains macro which can automate a series of commands and functions. o Excel forms can also be customised to satisfy the users requirements with different methods of data entry and appearance of the forms. o Graphs can be created to summarise data in a number of different graphs to allow the data to be more understandable to the user and also produces a professional outlook. Disadvantages: o The recording of macros can be problematic as it is easy to make a mistake and the whole process needs to be repeated again. This requires an experienced person with sound knowledge of macros and formulas to perform this task. o Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet package and doesn’t features such a relational database which are available in Access. Therefore data and tables need to be entered again leading to unnecessary data redundancy and data consistency. o Creating and editing macros needs to be done via Visual Basic Editor program in Excel. Users of this program need to be experienced in using this program as the macros commands need to be programmed by the user. This requires a sound knowledge as it requires commands to be written in a specific way and have the ability to remember the language to execute these commands. Solution using Lotus Pro Chosen solution From a detailed analysis of the Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, and Lotus Pro software I have decided after discussion with the end user to use Microsoft Access to produce the system I will create. Database packages are used for storing and retrieving information or data. With this type of software the user can set up table with relationships, set up queries, set up macros and make reports. The wizard features on certain database packages allows the complexity of administration tasks to be greatly reduced. The system I will produce will be created from using the Microsoft Access database package because of the following reasons: o Microsoft Access has the capacity to produce relational tables. This leads to a reduction in data redundancy and data inconsistency as data doesn’t need to be entered again due to the relationships which can be imported from one table into many other tables if needed. o The system can be customised to provide the end user with an interface which he requires. The forms can be customised to look and allow data entry in the method which the user requires. The toolbars can also be customised to allow the system to be even more user friendly. o A number of tasks which require a series of functions will be repeated a number of times when the system is in use. These series of function can be automated with the use of macros which Microsoft Access has. o Microsoft Access can provide customised reports to summarise a set of data. Access allows data to be brought together in a report which can be tailored to the user choice. So a professional output which is in line with the companies image can be produce whereas as other software such as Microsoft Excel would not have the capacity to do this. Data would need to be summarised into graphs and is difficult to suit the companies image so the output and interface of a system using this software would need be as professional compared to the software being use to created this system. o Access has the capability to update records in any table by setting up queries to update the necessary records. This will lead to more consistent data is it is more likely to be update and accurate. o Data and information that needs to be stored can be done so more easily due to the set up of the system. Tables are clearly defined and related, which is not the case with other software such as Microsoft Excel as relationships between tables cannot be emplaced.

Ethical relativism concept

Ethical relativism concept Introduction The concept of ethical relativism outlines that ethical principles and actions are relative to social norms. Stated differently, proponents of ethical relativism argue that ethical principles may be â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† but this judgment is only relative to social norms (Welch 516).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical relativism concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The concept of ethical relativism developed from cultural diversity, to mean that there are significant differences between the moral judgments of different people. Indeed, there is a lot of variation regarding the etiquette, moral values, and principles of different cultural groups. Therefore, even though people often disagree about whether an issue is â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† ethical relativism suggests that nobody should assume that their perception of ethics is correct, or incorrect. Since ethical principles may be â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† ethical relativism suggests that there should be tolerance among people, even in the face of serious disagreements regarding ethical positions. Since cultures and people disagree, there is no single criterion for evaluating the truthfulness or falseness of an ethical practice. Without an acceptable criterion for evaluating ethical practices, varying views regarding ethical and moral positions prevail. The concept of ethical relativism has been the subject of business ethics for several years, but few scholars have provided a definite direction regarding its validity in business. This paper adopts a simplistic version of the debate and demonstrates that cultural diversity affirms a â€Å"relative† interpretation of moral principles and actions.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ethnocentrism Ethnocent rism is a product of the failure to acknowledge that different cultures have unique sets of beliefs and values (Mustafa Hamid 37). When people do not acknowledge that this diversity exists, they often tend to isolate people that are different from them. Usually, ethnocentric people believe that their beliefs and values are the â€Å"right† set of beliefs and values, whereas other people are wrong in believing what they do (Mustafa Hamid 37). Cultural ethnocentrism normally happens when people impose the beliefs and values of one culture as the superior set of beliefs and values. Cultural ethnocentrism is normally bad for business because it creates divisions within different groups, especially in a multicultural environment. Indeed, when a group of people who share the same beliefs, values, and norms come together and impose the same values on a different group of people, they are likely to cause friction between themselves and the new group. This friction is likely to limi t diversity in the organization, thereby also curtailing other advantages of diversity (such as innovation and creativity). Ethnocentrism is therefore a manifestation of the failure to acknowledge that if people’s unique sets of beliefs and values differ from the dominant culture, it does not mean that the cultural beliefs of minority cultures are wrong; it only means that they are different. This idea is also true for businesses because it is wrong to judge the ethical or moral principles of one group of people, based on their cultural affiliations (Mustafa Hamid 37).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical relativism concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lack of a Common Ethical or Moral framework The concept of cultural or ethical diversity stems from our philosophical understanding of the world and the moral guidelines that define our actions. The lack of a common framework for outlining our ethical o r moral actions are especially profound in this context because people are equal and there is no justifiable ground to show that there are better human beings than others. Since people have equal human rights and equal capacities to make their moral or ethical decisions, it is incorrect to judge their actions as â€Å"superior† or â€Å"inferior†. In other words, no common ethical or moral framework defines people’s moral or ethical actions. Instead, people develop varying sets of beliefs and values according to their social norms. There is therefore no justification to say that the moral or ethical direction of one group of people is â€Å"superior† or â€Å"inferior† to another. Similarly, it is unfair to require one group of people to follow the ethical or moral principles of another culture because there is no common framework to define what sets of ethical or moral principles are â€Å"correct† and which ones are â€Å"false† (We lch 516). Assuming that one set of ethical or moral principles is superior to another would only amount to promoting inequality between societies because such an action would be preferential and unfair to other people.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, in the Japanese culture, customers who pay for services often expect personalized service. It is therefore unusual for Japanese service providers to give services that do not meet a customer’s personal need. Comparatively, in the western world (mainly America and Europe) customers pay for personalized services as an â€Å"extra† service from the service provider. In America, for example, people have to give tips if they expect exemplary service. In such an environment, some service providers would consider it rude if a person receives a personalized service and fails to give a tip to the service provider. The difference between Japanese and American business practices only outline the tip of the iceberg regarding the differences in business norms and practices between different cultures. Another example may be the prevalence of kickbacks and bribery as a â€Å"normal† business practice in most third world countries. Indeed, in many of these countrie s, government officials require kickbacks or bribery for the approval of business contracts, or the awarding of the same. In some of these countries, people consider this practice as a norm by accepting it as an important business requirement for success. Comparatively, many western cultures consider bribery and kickbacks as unethical and immoral business practices. In fact, most western business entities consider this practice as â€Å"unusual†. The differences in these business practices show that the definition of ethical and moral business practices differ across cultures. Social conditioning and programming therefore define the way businesses operate across different cultures. Ethical and Moral Time Adjustments Ethics and morality in business have always been controversial. The development of ethics and morality describe a product of human development, which questions what is â€Å"good† and what is â€Å"right† (Holmes 2). This development arose from the e xpanded capacity of human reasoning that has defined human civilization for centuries. The controversial nature of ethics and morality however stems from the changing contextual frameworks that define both concepts (this analysis closely relates to the idea that there is no single framework for judging people’s morals or ethics). Indeed, just as societies have different frameworks for assessing the ethical or moral implications of their actions, it is equally important to acknowledge that these ethical and moral actions are also subject to time adjustments. Stated differently, morality and ethics are normally subject to time variations, because what people consider â€Å"morally right† today may not necessarily be â€Å"moral† tomorrow. Many examples show how morality and ethics have changed across human societies. For example, recently, the isolation of women in social, economic, and political developments was an acceptable practice in many societies (including Western societies). For example, the society sidelined women in the workplace because many people perceived women to be homemakers. However, as civilization crept into many societies and feminist movement started to be more vocal about this issue, gender discrimination has become a strange concept, not only in business, but also in other aspects of social, economic, and political development (Holmes 2). This analysis shows that morality often changes, not only within the context of cultural relativism, but also in the context of time adjustments. It is therefore naà ¯ve to assume that ethical and moral actions are fixed, or that one narrow lens of moral or ethical principles may judge human actions. Conclusion Even though the concept of moral relativism is disputable, the acknowledgement that moral and ethical principles vary, poses more advantages than disadvantages to people and businesses. For example, it is possible to reduce moral and ethical conflicts if people stop to under stand moral and ethical principles from a narrow lens of their moral or ethical understanding. Certainly, this paper affirms that ethics and morality are flexible concepts because they vary not only across different societies, but also across different periods. Therefore, there is no ultimate standard of â€Å"appropriate† or â€Å"inappropriate† moral or ethical principles because the opinions on morality or ethics depend on the cultural perspective of the society in question. Comprehensively, this means that there are no â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong† moral or ethical principles to guide business conduct. Consequently, this paper affirms that cultural diversity shows us that moral principles and actions are relative. Holmes, Robert. Basic Moral Philosophy, New York: Wadsworth Incorporated Fulfillment, 2006. Print. Mustafa, Hasrina Hamid Hamidah. â€Å"Intercultural Relationship, Prejudice and Ethnocentrism in a Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC): A Time-Series Experiment.† Asian Social Science, 8.3 (2012): 34-48. Print. Welch, Patrick. â€Å"Moral psychology and the problem of moral criteria.† Journal of  Moral Education, 40.4 (2011): 513-526. Print.

Lucy Stone, Abolitionist and Womens Rights Reformer

Lucy Stone, Abolitionist and Women's Rights Reformer Lucy Stone (August 13, 1818–October 18, 1893)  was the first woman in Massachusetts to earn a college degree and the first woman in the United States to keep her own name after marriage. While she started out on the radical edge of womens rights at the beginning of her speaking and writing career, shes usually described as a leader of the conservative wing of the suffrage movement in her later years. The woman whose speech in 1850 converted Susan B. Anthony to the suffrage cause later disagreed  with Anthony over strategy and tactics, splitting the suffrage movement into two major branches after the Civil War. Fast Facts: Lucy Stone Known For: A major figure in the abolitionist and womens rights movements of the 1800sBorn: August 13, 1818 in West Brookfield, MassachusettsParents: Hannah Matthews and Francis StoneDied: October 18, 1893 in Boston, MassachusettsEducation: Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, Oberlin CollegeAwards and Honors:  Inducted into National Womens Hall of Fame; the subject of a U.S. postal stamp; statue placed in Massachusetts State House; featured in the Boston Womens Heritage TrailSpouse(s): Henry Browne BlackwellChildren: Alice Stone BlackwellNotable Quote: I believe that the influence of woman will save the country before every other power. Early Life Lucy Stone was born on August 13, 1818, on her familys Massachusetts farm in West Brookfield. She was the eighth of nine children, and as she grew up, she watched as her father ruled the household, and his wife, by divine right. Disturbed when her mother had to beg her father for money, she was also unhappy with the lack of support in her family for her education. She was faster at learning than her brothers, but they were to be educated while she was not. She was inspired in her reading by the Grimke sisters, who were abolitionists as well as proponents of womens rights. When the Bible was quoted to her, defending the positions of men and women, she declared that when she grew up, shed learn Greek and Hebrew so she could correct the mistranslation that she was sure was behind such verses. Education Her father would not support her education, so she alternated her own education with teaching to earn enough to continue. She attended several institutions, including Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1839. By age 25 four years later, she had saved enough to fund her first year at Oberlin College in Ohio, the countrys first college to admit both women and blacks. After four years of study at Oberlin College, all the while teaching and doing housework to pay for the costs, Lucy Stone graduated in 1847. She was asked to write a commencement speech for her class, but she refused because someone else would have had to read her speech because women were not allowed, even at Oberlin, to give a public address. Shortly after Stone, the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree, returned to her home state, she gave her first public speech. The topic was womens rights and she delivered the speech from the pulpit of her brothers Congregational Church in Gardner, Massachusetts. Thirty-six years after she graduated from Oberlin, she was an honored speaker at Oberlins 50th-anniversary celebration. The American Anti-Slavery Society A year after she graduated, Lucy Stone was hired as an organizer for the American Anti-Slavery Society. In this paid position, she traveled and gave speeches on abolition and womens rights. William Lloyd Garrison, whose ideas were dominant in the Anti-Slavery Society, said of her during her first year of working with the organization, She is a very superior young woman, and has a soul as free as the air, and is preparing to go forth as a lecturer, particularly in vindication of the rights of women. Her course here has been very firm and independent, and she has caused no small uneasiness in the spirit of sectarianism in the institution. When her womens rights speeches created too much controversy within the Anti-Slavery Society- some wondered whether she was diminishing her efforts on behalf of the abolition cause- she arranged to separate the two ventures, speaking on weekends on abolition and weekdays on womens rights, and charging admission for the speeches on womens rights. In three years, she earned $7,000 with these talks. Radical Leadership Stones radicalism on both abolition and womens rights brought large crowds. The talks also drew hostility: according to historian Leslie Wheeler, people tore down the posters advertising her talks, burned pepper in the auditoriums where she spoke, and pelted her with prayer books and other missiles. Having been convinced by using the Greek and Hebrew she learned at Oberlin that indeed the Biblical proscriptions on women were badly translated, she challenged those rules in churches that she found to be unfair to women. Raised in the Congregational Church, she was unhappy with its refusal to recognize women as voting members of congregations as well as their condemnation of the Grimke sisters for their public speaking. Finally expelled by the Congregationalists for her views and public speaking, she joined with the Unitarians. In 1850, Stone was a leader in organizing the first national womans rights convention, held in Worcester, Massachusetts. The 1848 convention in Seneca Falls had been an important and radical move, but the attendees were mostly from the local area. This was the next step. At the 1850 convention, Lucy Stones speech is credited with converting Susan B. Anthony to the cause of woman suffrage. A copy of the speech, which was sent to England, inspired John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor to publish The Enfranchisement of Women. Some years later, she also convinced Julia Ward Howe to adopt womens rights as a cause along with abolition. Frances Willard credited Stones work with her joining the suffrage cause. Marriage and Motherhood Stone had thought of herself as a free soul who would not marry; then she met Cincinnati businessman Henry Blackwell in 1853 on one of her speaking tours. Henry was seven years younger than Lucy and courted her for two years. Henry was anti-slavery and  pro-womens  rights. His eldest sister  Elizabeth Blackwell  (1821–1910), became the first woman physician in the United States, while another sister,  Emily Blackwell  (1826–1910), became a physician as well. Their brother Samuel later married  Antoinette Brown  (1825–1921), a friend of Lucy Stones at Oberlin and the first woman ordained as a minister in the United States. Two years of courtship and friendship convinced Lucy to accept Henrys offer of marriage. Lucy was especially impressed when he rescued a fugitive slave from her owners. She wrote to him, A wife should no more take her husbands name than he should hers. My name is my identity and must not be lost. Henry agreed with her. I wish, as a husband, to  renounce  all the privileges which the  law  confers upon me, which are not strictly  mutual. Surely  such a marriage  will not degrade you, dearest. And so,  in 1855, Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell married. At the ceremony, Minister Thomas Wentworth Higginson read  a statement by the bride and groom, renouncing and protesting the marriage laws of the time, and announcing that she would keep her name. Higginson published the ceremony widely with their permission. The couples daughter Alice Stone Blackwell was born in 1857. A son died at birth; Lucy and Henry had no other children. Lucy retired for a short period from active touring and public speaking and devoted herself to raising her daughter. The family moved from Cincinnati to New Jersey. In a letter written to her sister-in-law Antoinette Blackwell on February 20, 1859, Stone wrote, ...for these years I can only be a mother- no trivial thing, either. The next year, Stone refused to pay property taxes on her home. She and Henry carefully kept her property in her name, giving her independent income during their marriage. In her statement to the authorities, Lucy Stone protested the taxation without representation that women still endured, since women had no vote. The authorities seized some furniture to pay the debt, but the gesture was widely publicized as symbolic on behalf of womens rights. Split in the Suffrage Movement Inactive in the suffrage movement during the Civil War, Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell became active again when the war ended and the  Fourteenth Amendment  was proposed, giving the vote to black men. For the first time, the Constitution would, with this Amendment, mention male citizens explicitly. Most woman suffrage activists were outraged. Many saw the possible passage of this Amendment as setting back the cause of woman suffrage. In 1867, Stone again went on a full lecture tour to Kansas and New York, working for woman suffrage state amendments, trying to work for both black and woman suffrage. The woman suffrage movement split on this and other strategic grounds. The  National Woman Suffrage Association, led by  Susan B. Anthony  and  Elizabeth Cady Stanton decided to oppose the  Fourteenth Amendment because of the language male citizen. Lucy Stone,  Julia Ward Howe, and Henry Blackwell led those who sought to keep the causes of black and woman suffrage together, and in 1869 they and others founded the  American Woman Suffrage Association. For all her radical reputation, Lucy Stone was identified in this later period with the conservative wing of the woman suffrage movement. Other differences in strategy between the two wings included the AWSAs following a strategy of state-by-state suffrage amendments and the NWSAs support of a national constitutional amendment. The AWSA remained largely  middle  class,  while the NWSA embraced working-class issues and members. The Womens Journal The next year, Lucy raised enough funds to start a suffrage weekly newspaper,  The Womans Journal. For the first two years, it was edited by  Mary Livermore, and then Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell became the editors. Lucy Stone found working on a newspaper far more compatible with family life than the lecture circuit. But I do believe that a womans truest place is in a home, with a husband and with children, and with large freedom, pecuniary freedom, personal freedom, and the right to vote. Lucy Stone to her adult daughter, Alice Stone Blackwell Alice Stone Blackwell attended Boston University, where she was one of two women in a class with 26 men. She later got involved with  The Womans Journal,  which survived until 1917. Alice was the sole editor during its later years. The Womans Journal  under Stone and Blackwell maintained a Republican Party line, opposing, for instance, labor movement organizing and strikes and  Victoria Woodhulls  radicalism, in contrast to the Anthony-Stanton NWSA. Last Years Lucy Stones radical move to keep her own name continued to inspire and enrage. In 1879, Massachusetts gave women a limited right to vote for the school committee. In Boston, however, the registrars refused to let Lucy Stone vote unless she used her husbands name. She continued to find that, on legal documents and when registering with her husband at hotels, she had to sign as Lucy Stone, married to Henry Blackwell, for her signature to be accepted as valid. Lucy Stone did, in the 1880s, welcome Edward Bellamys American version of Utopian socialism, as did many other woman suffrage activists. Bellamys vision in the book  Looking Backward  drew a vivid picture of a society with economic and social equality for women. In 1890, Alice Stone Blackwell, now a leader in the woman suffrage movement in her own right, engineered a reunification of the two competing suffrage organizations. The National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association united to form the  National American Woman Suffrage Association, with  Elizabeth Cady Stanton  as president,  Susan B. Anthony  as vice president, and Lucy Stone as chairman of the executive committee. In an 1887 speech to the New England Womans Club, Stone said: I think, with never-ending gratitude, that the young women of today do not and can never know at what price their right to free speech and to speak at all in public has been earned.   Death Stones voice had already faded and she rarely spoke to large groups later in her life. But in 1893, she gave  lectures at the Worlds Columbian Exposition. A few months later, she died in Boston of cancer and was cremated. Her last words to her daughter were Make the world better. Legacy Lucy Stone is less well known today than  Elizabeth Cady Stanton,  Susan B. Anthony, or  Julia Ward Howe, whose Battle Hymn of the Republic helped immortalize her name. Stones daughter Alice Stone Blackwell published her mothers biography,  Lucy Stone, Pioneer of Womans Rights,  in 1930, helping to keep her name and contributions known. But Lucy Stone is still remembered today primarily as the first woman to keep her own name after marriage. Women who follow that custom are sometimes called Lucy Stoners. Sources Adler, Stephen J. and Lisa Grunwald. Womens Letters: America from the Revolutionary War to the Present. New York: Random House, 2005.â€Å"Lucy Stone.† National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.â€Å"Lucy Stone.† National Womens History Museum.McMillen, Sally G. Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life. Oxford University Press, 2015.Wheeler, Leslie. Lucy Stone: Radical Beginnings. Spender, Dale (ed.). Feminist Theorists: Three Centuries of Key Women Thinkers. New York: Pantheon Books, 1983

Internal Controls Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internal Controls - Assignment Example The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was passed generally for the purpose of restoring investor trust and confidence. The demand of the government, investors and the American public sought a standard and guarantee on the accuracy of financial reports. So, Section 404 of the mentioned law was strictly devoted in requiring management to assess and report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting or ICFR. Bergen (2005) reported that â€Å"the concerns through making executive more responsible for company accounting statements, redefining the relationships between corporations and their auditors, and restructuring the internal audit systems of public corporations.† Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has also been experiencing issues regarding its implementation. The legislation of the law â€Å"has been subject to furious debate amongst corporations, auditors, regulators and others.† The internal control policy has cause extremely high costs especia lly for smaller companies and early results left the benefits unclear. A number of academic and professional researches have grown to support the lack of transparency in accounting and corporate governance is growing larger. The researches show the significant cost attached to the internal controls. One â€Å"concludes that corporations with Internal Control Deficiencies (ICDs) as defined by section 404 – companies which are naturally more susceptible to accounting irregularities – pay the price through higher cost of capital and lower stock price returns.† Ockree and Martin (2009) investigated on the internal and external impacts of the financial reporting requirements in internal control. Stock price was one of the external reactions their study had put focused on. In their study, stock prices were tracked for the three years following the announcement. They compared the data to a broader market measure of comparable companies. The results were surprising thou gh a bit expected; the average return for the study group during that period was only 1.68%, while the broader market had a 17.28% return. There was a higher rick in that period of relative growth. Ockree and Martin also studied the insiders who traded stock during 2007 to be able to measure the risk in that particular sector. Two years after the announcement, it was found that there were three times inside buyers than seller compared to the broader market. Further, the size of the insider’s sales was over eight times larger compared to the buys. With the effect of internal controls to the company’s stock price, we can say internal controls do have inherent limitations and the risk can’t easily be foreseen or eliminated. On the other hand, there is a risk of weakening internal controls if we modify the existing system. Internal controls can result to various limitations to the organization functionality and economy. Its limits can affect the effectiveness of int ernal controls and may result to system omission human factors, resource constraints, or lack of system flexibility. For example, internal control processes in an organization may not reflect changed operating conditions, specific agency activities or potential new risks. It can cause collusion of staff members to be able to achieve their own personal gains. And in

Property law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Property law - Essay Example ie Plc and Target there would be both privity of contract1 and privity of estate2 between Leslie Plc and Target as they were the original lessor and lessee. By the action of Target assigning the lease to Ace the relationship between Leslie and Ace would only be on the basis of privity of estate as there is no contractual relationship between them. Similarly by Leslie selling the property to Rake there would be no privity of contract between Rake and Target or Rake and Ace3, only a privity of estate4. The further subletting of the lease by Ace to Simon creates neither privity of estate of privity of contract as there was no agreement with Rake to sublet the property. If Rake had agreed to the sublet then a privity of estate would have been created and Rake could enforce the repair covenant against Simon5. The differences that apply under privity of contract and privity of estate will affect the ability of Rake to enforce the covenant. Under a privity of contract all covenants bind6 whereas under privity of estate7 only the covenants which are regarded as typically part of the landlord and tenant relationship will be bound8. Privity of estate only affects the benefit and burden on the assignee and the landlord in respect of covenants that touch and concern the land9. Having established the relationship of the parties it is necessary to look as to whether the burden and benefit of the covenants can pass with the assignments. Looking first at the position of pre 1996 leases the general rule was that the original tenant could not pass the burden to the assignee. If the lease began prior to 1996 then the assignment of the tenancy would not absolve Target from the liability10 in accordance with the contract11. This would mean that Target would be bound by the covenants throughout the duration of the lease even though his interest has been assigned12. Covenants in leases are deemed to be made on behalf of the covenantor and his successors in title unless a contrary

Revised paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revised paper - Essay Example The challenge is that the pay for some may not be as expected especially in areas where there are many people practicing accounting. It is notable that many people who major in accounting possess love for the profession due to the prospective nature of work and the lucrative payout. I have selected the option of accounting because I bear the love of calculations especially with relation to business since my tender age. My family has business and I found interest in how their finances were, and how I could use the financial data to forecast the future of the business in terms of financial returns. Additionally, I find interest in the dynamics in the economy and businesses with a larger perspective. Thirdly, the remuneration offered on securing a good job with an accounting firm can allow me to live, as I prefer while also enhancing my expertise and doing what I find interesting. I am hopeful that I can develop the necessary expertise in several areas of accounting such as financial accounting, management accounting, tax accounting or auditing. I acknowledge that I require the input of a professional in the accounting field to offer me some orientation. I resolved to set up an interview with a recognized accountant whose name is John Thorn. The interviews aims at providing me with the relevant information about the qualifications, the job requirements and the expectations placed on an individual in the accounting field. Mr. Thorn comes from a long line of accountants in his family. It was not because there were other accountants that he decided to be an accountant. He loved the idea of doing accounting regardless if it was related to taxes, auditing, and finances or for management decision-making. He first did his bachelor of science in accounting at the University of Boston where he qualifies well. He was able to get a job at the L.I in his native Boston where he did minor accounting jobs such as preparing weekly reports on sales. He did not stay long

U.S. intervention in Iraq

U.S. intervention in Iraq Introduction There are people that are opposed to the U.S. intervention in Iraq, as they believe that it will not lead to stability and democracy. These people, find similarities to Americas Vietnam intervention. For them, America has once more involved in a prolonged and indecisive political and military struggle, from which it will extricate with human and economic loses. On the other had, there are people that are in favour of the Iraq War and they believe that there is no comparison to the Vietnam War. They claim that it is the annihilation of Nazi Germany and its transformation to a democratic ally, that should be used as an analogy.[1] But, the comparison to the Vietnam War and its consequences was unavoidable, as it still influences the publics attitude towards foreign military intervention and was an event that is still in memories of todays American leaders. The question is whether there are any lessons from the American disaster in the Vietnam War that could be applied in Iraqs case. The differences between the two wars are very important: First of all, Vietnam in 1960 was a country with a long national history and a distinct national identity that was created after centuries of fighting against foreign domination. On the contrary, Iraq is a young state with many ethnicities and religions, that make unity difficult. Moreover, in Vietnam the enemy was skilled and experience with important external aid and international legitimacy. In Iraq the enemy had no martial ability and was politically isolated. Besides that, in Vietnam at first the war had the form of an insurgency that changed into a conventional conflict , whereas in Iraq happened exactly the opposite. The nature of the insurgency in the two cases was different, too. In Vietnam there were peasants that were centrally directed by the Communists, that had a clear politico-economic and social agenda. In Iraq, the insurgents were members of small groups that their methods consisted partly of car bombings and sabotage against U.S. forces and the war objectives werent very clear. Moreover, the U.S. was more restricted in military action in Vietnam that in Iraq, by the Chinese and the Soviet threat and they only cared about protecting South Vietnam. Nowadays, the U.S. with its military primacy is aiming at a regime change in Iraq. In Vietnam, the U.S. reached the 500,000 men and left the country after 8 years of bloodshed. In Iraq, the cost in human lives was much smaller and 3 weeks were enough to succumb the military resistance.[2] The comparison is becoming valuable by a political perspective: the lessons and the warnings that may come out of the Vietnam War for policymakers in Iraq War, especially on legitimacy and sustainability. The U.S. that failed to create and sustain a government and political order in South Vietnam, is now trying to do the same in Iraq. The Republic of Vietnam was a Cold War creation of the U.S. and it depended totally for its viability on America. In the end, most of the South Vietnamese didnt have the willingness to fight and even die for its maintenance. The sustainability failed mostly because the Americans abandoned South Vietnam, mainly because of the fall of public support on this war, as time was passing by with increasing American human and economic loses and no remarkable progress. State-building in Iraq is still in progress, so a critic on U.S. policy on this matter would be unfounded. This essay tries to recognize and analyze the comparisons between the American intervention in Vietnam and in Iraq. I believe that the differences are equally important with the similarities for providing political insights. This essay tries to evaluate similarities and differences on: relative U.S. military power, war aims, nature, duration and scale of the war, U.S. manpower lose rates, the enemy, military operations, role of allies, challenges of state-building, and challenges of sustaining political support. It ends with conclusions and recommendations. Relative U.S. Military Power From a military perspective, the international and regional balances were different during the Vietnam and Iraq wars. During the Cold War, the United States relied on allied military support, so its military intervention that took place in Vietnam (1965) had restrains. On the other hand, United States intervention in Iraq (2003) was characterized by freedom of action, as the United States was the only superpower and its military supremacy was globally uncontested. During the Cold War, China and the Soviet Union had under their influence many communist areas in Europe and Asia, including Vietnam, so the U.S. had to be careful regarding its military action in the region. Americans were trying not to provoke directly the Chinese and the Soviet intervention, so they were using their military power with restrictions.[3] But even then, China and the Soviet Union were helping the Vietnamese Communists by providing them with weapons of technological advance. On Iraqs case, Saddam Husseins military strength had almost disappeared by 1991 and in 2003 he couldnt find military support by external actors. For the Iraqi soldiers, training was not a priority, that is why in 2003 the Americans didnt face great difficulties in crushing Iraqi military resistance, taking over Baghdad and overthrowing Saddam Hussein. War Aims The political objectives between the Iraq and Vietnam wars were different. In the 1960s the United States was trying to preserve the non-communist status quo in South Vietnam. In 2003, the United States expressed their intention to democratize Iraq in order to create a model for the rest of the countries in the Middle East. In South Vietnam, as long as the policies that were followed were in agreement with the U.S. interests in the Cold War, the absence of democracy was not an issue.[4] In the Vietnam War, the U.S. wanted to preserve the regime, by forcing North Vietnam to cease its military intervention in South Vietnam. For this purpose, a massive and well-organized military effort was necessary against a determined and skilled enemy. In contrast, in Iraq the U.S. wanted to change the regime and for doing so, less effort and time was needed, although the collapse of Saddam Husseins regime, gave the opportunity to anti-occupation groups to mount insurgent attacks on U.S. forces and reconstruction targets. Another difference was that one of the basic objectives in Iraq was the disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, while in Vietnam there was not such an issue but a struggle over territory. Moreover, the war on Iraq was justified as a part of the war against terrorism, led by al-Qaeda, which attacked the U.S. in September 11, 2001. In Vietnam War, the Americans didnt feel threatened by some kind of terrorism back in their homeland, despite the fact that Vietnamese Communist forces conducted terrorist attacks against South Vietnamese officials and U.S. civilian personnel. But, these attacks were restricted in the region.[5] The main American war aim in Vietnam was to safeguard the credibility of U.S. defense commitments throughout the world. Dean Rusk, the Secretary of State had stated: We have a commitment to assist the South Vietnamese to resist aggression from North. If the U.S. commitment in peace becomes unreliable, the communists would draw conclusions that would lead to our ruin. Indeed, failure to defend South Vietnam would lead American allies to question their credibility and communist advances would be encouraged in the Third World. The credibility of U.S. defense commitments was not an issue in the Iraq war. The Communist threat did not exist anymore and the American operations were not a response to Iraqi aggression. On the contrary, it was a war in order to prevent Iraqis acquisition of nuclear weapons and to stop the expansion of their biological weapons capability. This war depicted the U.S. willingness to use force against states that were seeking nuclear weapons and that could threaten them in the future. Nature, and Scale of the War The American intervention in Vietnam began as a materially self-sustaining, peasant-based communist insurgency in the South, against the South Vietnamese security forces that were supported by the U.S., and it ended up as a conventional military war between the U.S. and the North Vietnamese regular forces.[6] In contrast, U.S. military operation in Iraq began as conventional and quickly crushed Iraqs regular forces and ended up as a counterinsurgent campaign against terrorists. In Vietnam the Communists motivated a centrally-directed, perfect strategically revolutionary war, with a detailed political and economic program in order to mobilize the support of the peasants. Moreover, the communists in Vietnam had external support. The insurgency in Iraq was nothing like it. The Iraqi insurgents were former Baathist regime operatives, Sunni Arabs, al-Qaeda and other Islamist suicide bombers, hired gunmen and anti-American Shiites. So, the insurgency was not centrally directed. Moreover, it has no declared agenda, though it seems that their goal is to get the U.S. out of the country and cause instability on behalf of the restoration of Sunni Arab rule. Until recently the Iraqi insurgency rested mainly on the Sunni Arab community that consisted the 20% of the population. Now the insurgency has expanded but it cannot be compared to Vietnams situation where the peasants (80% of the population) formed the communist insurgency forces. When it comes to scale, the differences are many. In terms of the forces committed the U.S. military personnel in South Vietnam they reached 543,000 in 1969. Allied forces coming from other countries were 65,000 in 1968 and the South Vietnamese armed forced reached 820,000 soldiers. Communist troops numbered 700,000 in 1966.[7] By comparison, insurgent Sunni Arab fighters were no more than 5,000.[8] Militant Shiites, associated with the Muqtada al-Sadr movement and his Mahdi Army, may on the other hand number up to at least a few thousand fighters. The Vietnam War, unlike the Iraq War, had a huge and protracted aerial bombing component. In terms of bomb tonnage dropped, it was the largest air war in history. During the 1962-73 period, 8,000,000 tons dropped through Indochina.[9] U.S. aircraft losses due to hostile action were also numerous, as North Vietnam was supported by the Soviets who supplied them with technologically advanced air defenses. During 1962-73 period the U.S. aircraft loses totalled 8,500, 2,700 airmen were killed and 1,800 were captured and became prisoners.[10] In Iraq, U.S. air power comprised a large component of major operations and had one advantages over U.S. operations in Vietnam: the enemy didnt have effective air defenses. However, as in Vietnam, the helicopters proved vulnerable to hand-held missiles and to machine guns. During March 20-May 1, the Iraqis downed 30 helicopters.[11] U.S. manpower loss rates During the 1965-1972 period in the Vietnam War, the U.S. numbered 55,700 dead and 290,000 wounded, which is translated as 19 dead and 100 wounded per day. These rates are well above than in the Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, which records 2 deaths per day. By April 2004, U.S. casualties had reached 685 dead and more than 3,000 wounded.[12] The Enemy The number of the enemys forces was impressive in the Vietnam War, but so was the number of the U.S. and South Vietnamese forces, which combined to third-country allied forces, outnumbered the communist forces. U.S. forces in both cases had a fire power advantage over the enemy. Despite that fact, in the end the U.S. left South Vietnam to the Communists. One explanation would be because of the anti-war movement back in America and the hostility of the media[13]. Another, would be the outstanding performance of the enemy, based on the asymmetry of stakes. The Vietnamese conflict was a limited war for the United States but a total war for the Vietnamese Communists. The Americans underestimated the enemys ability and most importantly their desire to win even if that meant that they had to die over trying. For the Vietnamese Communists this war was about national reunification, independence and taking over the power in Vietnam.[14] The Communist forces losses during the American period of the Vietnam War had reached 1,100,000 dead and 2,000,000 civilian dead. In the 20th century, it is the highest military death toll proportional to its population (5%).[15] The enemy in Iraq is smaller in number, less ideologically and organizationally cohesive and has no external assistance. During the first period of the Iraqi insurgency, the most dangerous enemy elements were Baathist regime remnants that were trying to restore the old Saddamist order. The characteristics of the enemy since then seem to be changing with the constant appearance of anti-American Islamic militants in the struggle.[16] Religious extremists and foreign fighters begun to supplant Baathist remnants as the primary members of the insurgency, using suicide as an insurgent method and other types of bombings..[17] Additionally, an unknown number of criminals and unemployed former soldiers have been hired by the Baathists to engage in attacks on coalition forces for pay. Saddam Husseins capture brought into Iraq a number of foreign terrorists that now had the kind of freedom of movement that previously didnt have.[18] While Saddam was in charge, an effective internal security prevented any kind of insurgent activity. Moreover, terrorism against his regime was something that Saddam was fighting against. Moreover, al Qaeda takes advantage of the vacuum in the political system that Saddams regime fall created. Members of al Qaeda are considered as leaders of the major suicide bombings that have been taken place in the country, such as the attacks at the UN headquarters, the Jordanian embassy and Kurdish political parties.[19] Another part of the insurgents is people who seek revenge against the Americans for previous actions against their families and friends.[20] But, it is clear that Iraqi soldiers are not as capable as the Vietnamese Communists were. The Communists were organized into divisional-size units, whereas Iraqi fighters operate in squads. The Vietnamese Communists had external access to technological advanced weapons, whereas the Iraqis did not. But the Iraqi insurgents are better armed today, than the Vietnamese Communists in 1960, who relied on stolen and home-made weapons.[21] Iraq starting from Saddam Husseins era, has been a heavily-armed society. Last but not least, the Iraqis have no common ideology, strategy or vision for Iraqs future, while the Vietnamese Communists had. Iraqi insurgents operations are uncoordinated, even though all of them agree on the objective of Americans being thrown out of the country, they have not agreed on a strategy for doing so. Maybe their thought is to kill as much U.S. troops as they can in order to undercut domestic American political support? Military Operations In Vietnam the U.S. got involved in two wars at the same time: one on the ground in the South and an air war in the North. Both of them failed. In the South, the U.S. military forces believed that they could cause huge casualties, because of their fire power, on the Communists and that they would have the initiative in the war field.[22] But, they ignored the Communists readiness to sacrifice and their substantial manpower. Moreover, in fact, the Communists started most of the fire fights, which meant that they could control their losses by refusing combat when it suited them to do so. The enemy managed to keep losses within his capacity to replace them.[23] In the air war against North Vietnam the Americans also underestimated the enemys will to win. North Vietnam was a pre-industrial totalitarian area, so it was difficult to be defeated through air power. Moreover, the Soviets provided them with military means that imposed significant loses on American aircrafts.[24] North Vietnam had a powerful air defense system and the capacity of bomb damage repair, whereas Iraq in 2003 had not. The U.S. air losses in North Vietnam were significant. Apart from the enemys capacity and political restrictions in the use of force, there were other factors that influenced Americas military performance. There was no joint warfare in Vietnam.[25] On the contrary, inter-service rivalry dominated, producing disunity of command and precluding the provision of timely and useful military advice to civilian authority.[26] On the ground things werent any better. Rotational tours of duty of 1 year for enlisted personnel and 3-6 months for officers lead to small unit cohesion under fire and compromised the ability of officers and men alike to accumulate and sustain knowledge and skill in fighting. As a result, only the 15% of the U.S. military personnel in Vietnam were available for sustained ground combat operations, by 1968.[27] Communist forces were leaner because they relied more on stealth and cunning than firepower, and because they recruited hundreds of thousands of peasants to perform logistical tasks. Moreover, they lived in the field, unlike Americans. Vietnamese revolutionary war, combined mass political mobilization and a reliance of guerrilla tactics that deprived a firepower superior conventional foe of decisive targets to shoot at.[28] They relied on camouflage and night operations, hit-and-run attacks and use of terrain and populations as means of concealment. The purpose of Communists military operations was to weaken enemys will through protraction of hostilities. It was the only way for them as a swift victory over the Americans was impossible.[29] Insurgents in Iraq have different targets: U.S. and coalition troops, American civilian contractors, Iraqis working with Americans, oil and electrical power infrastructure. Moreover, Iraqi politicians, police stations and officers and members of the New Iraqi Army.[30] Their methods have evolved through time as the various groups have engaged in trial. They mainly include rocket-propelled grenades and use of improvised explosive devises. Iraqi police officers and other security forces are targets because they are considered to take over the power as soon as the U.S. forces leave the country. In addition, they are more vulnerable because their weapons are not as lethal as U.S. forces and they receive limited training in force protection.[31] Role of Allies In 1965 the United States did not bother to seek U.N. authorization for intervention in Vietnam because of the certainty of a Soviet veto.[32] In 2003, the United States sought an authorizing resolution but failed to garner even a majority among the U.N. Security Councils membership.[33] Indeed, in both cases, much of the rest of the world, including key allies, regarded U.S. military intervention as illegitimate. Not a single NATO ally joined the United States in Vietnam; on the contrary, only five other states aside from South Vietnam itself (Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand) contributed combat troops.[34] If Americas allies in the Vietnam War were few, the opposite was true for the Vietnamese Communists. Unlike Saddam Husseins Iraq in 2003, the Communists in Vietnam had powerful and decisive allies. Behind the NLF in the South stood North Vietnam, and behind North Vietnam stood the Soviet Union and China. Deliveries included fighter aircraft, antiaircraft guns, tanks and helicopters. The Chinese, provided the Vietnamese Communists with huge quantities of weapons. Unlike the Russians, however, the Chinese provided over 300,000 antiaircraft and engineer troops who, in the face of escalating U.S. bombing, manned air defense systems and constructed, reconstructed, maintained, and defended North Vietnams transportation network, especially its railroad system.[35] In Iraq, as in Vietnam, the United States has sought international support both to reduce its military burden and to enhance the legitimacy of its policy, although it strongly resisted giving the United Nations a major voice in post-war Iraq policy. In Iraq, as in Vietnam, this effort produced disappointing results, although the number of countries contributing forces to Iraqs postwar stabilization is much more impressive than those that sent troops to Vietnam. In both cases, the United States bore the primary burden of the fighting, although in Vietnam, unlike Iraq, a large indigenous force performed important static defense and other military tasks. In Iraq, the most notable contribution came from the United Kingdom, which contributed 26,000 troops. Since the termination of major combat operations in May 1, 2003, a number of other countries, for a variety of motives, some of them having little to do with support for U.S. policy in Iraq, have committed limited force contingents to assist Iraqs post-war stabilization.[36] Additionally, the more Americanized the already heavily American foreign presence in Iraq becomes, the more likely it is that it will provoke Iraqi nationalist opposition. Some Iraqi nationalists may be drawn to the insurgent cause by what they view as a prolonged U.S. troop withdrawal and the continued absence of a new U.N. effort to take over the establishment of a new Iraq.[37] Challenges of State-Building The Vietnam War ended as a war between two states, the northern Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) and the southern Republic of Vietnam (RVN). The former established in 1945 and the latter in 1954. The U.S. supported the RVN against further Communist expansion. If it werent the U.S. political, military and economic support, the anti-communist regime could not have been created and sustained.[38] The U.S. helped with the state-building in South Vietnam for two decades. It founded governmental institutions, it armed and trained the RVN armed forces, it subsidized South Vietnams economy and it tried to direct the RVN toward democratization. Despite these efforts, state-building failed, first of all because of the RVNs military defeat in 1975. The RVN was defeated so quickly that made an impression even to Communists.[39] The U.S. were to blame for it partially. It reduced its principal goal from securing an independent, non-Communist Vietnam to looking for a withdrawal and when the final Communist offensive was launched in 1975, they couldnt re-enter the war or provide the RVN with materials.[40] The RVN was to blame for the failure, too. Their weaknesses were: professional military inferiority, corruption and lack of political legitimacy. Moral disintegration explains why their three times bigger in size army, with larger equipment was that rapidly defeated.[41] Important RVNAF units didnt go to combat because they were to protect the government from potential threats of a coup detat, and generals that were very skilful were considered as political threats. In addition, military promotions were given with no meritocratic methods.[42] Moreover, many South Vietnamese started stealing American military and economic aid in order to get profit. They didnt care about going to war as for them the Americans were responsible for this task. Black market operations were one of the major components of RVNAF corruption.[43] The Communists fighting power was superior as first of all their political program was very clear: kick out the Americans, give land to the peasants and unite the nation. In addition, they had a totalitarian political system that controlled and directed the society more effectively than in South Vietnam. On the contrary, the RVNAF lacked in discipline and patriotism that would lead soldiers to sacrifice their lives.[44] Unlike the RVN, the Communists succeeded in persuading the majority of Vietnamese in both South and North that it was the only legitimate political representative of national independence. The RVN failed to obtain the necessary legitimacy in order to survive without the American support.[45] In Iraq, as in South Vietnam, the political success will come after the creation of a government that will be legitimized by the majority of people and after the creation of security forces that will be in position to protect this new political order. South Vietnam had a corrupted government and large but incompetent security forces. Its enemy, however, was very capable. On the other hand, in Iraq there is no government and no worth-mentioned security forces. Moreover, any government that the U.S. will try to create must be likeable from the Iraqis and must be secured by U.S. military power.[46] The main threat to state-building in Iraq lies not in the insurgency in central Iraq, but in the potential for the recent uprising of Shiite militants to reignite, expand, and include large elements of that community or the development of the kind of sectarian civil war that plunged Lebanon into near anarchy for almost 2 decades.[47] The creation of a stable and democratic Iraq is difficult. The U.S. does not have the time with their side. Most of the Iraqis and their Arab neighbours look Americas presence there suspiciously and question its motives. So the Iraqi governmental institutions are erected under political pressure and under the objections of Iraqi sectarian leaders.[48] The U.S. with its military presence undermine the constructed governments legitimacy. U.S. withdrawal will reassure nationalists and provide governmental institutions with some space in order to develop.[49] One the other hand, a premature withdrawal a security vacuum may cause disorder that could lead to a civil war. Iraq has met in the past tyranny and authoritarian regimes, so a democracy in order to work needs institutions that can be trusted to deliver representative government, while protecting minorities. In addition, the development of a political society where groups will have the opportunity to be elected without provoking fears to the losers, is necessary. Otherwise, the losers may try to ensure their safety by resisting to national institutions.[50] The institutions need to be protected by security and gradually the U.S. intents to pass this responsibility on Iraqis. This action may lead to the legitimacy of the new Iraq government, provided that the new forces will not operate with visible support from the U.S. . [51] Challenges of Sustaining Domestic Political Support The American intervention in Vietnam failed because citizens back home stopped supporting it. Communists had more to loose from a bad ending of this war than the U.S, so their political will was much stronger. The majorities and opinions of liberal newspapers, such as the Washington Post and New York Times supported the Vietnam war in the first place, as long as it didnt last long, there werent many casualties and it didnt influence much their economy.[52] People trusted the U.S. Government and supported its decisions. But as war went on, this support started to decrease. By March 1969, 66% of the citizens were opposed to the continuation of this war. From April 1969 to December 1972 the U.S. military personnel dropped from 543,000 to 24,000. Public opinion made Nixon pullout the American soldiers even though he knew that this would favour the Communists.[53] In Iraqs case, public support may decreased because of the inability to find any relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda. Moreover, the costs of the Iraq War are extravagant and they are to blame partially for the cumulative national debt.[54] Operation IRAQI FREEDOM was a war of choice and as such, like Vietnam, publics tolerance in deaths was limited. Before the war started, .U.S. Government assured people that the hole world would consider them as liberators of Iraq. Effects on public opinion between expectations and realities needs to be seen. However, polls taken in March 2004 by CNN/USA Today showed a decline in public support. Only 49% was in favour of the Iraq War. Moreover, the 43% believed that their government mislead them about whether Iraq has nuclear weapons.[55] Conclusions These two historical situations are not identical. Operation IRAQI FREEDOM achieved its goal, that is eliminating a regime that could be a threat to the U.S. . Despite that fact, the U.S. had to face the costly results of state-building while insurgent violence is still on, that resembles the Vietnam situation. Many academics believe that establishing democracy in Iraq is beyond Americas power and that another regime type must be approached, such as a benign authoritarian regime type along the lines of Kemal Ataturks Turkey, as a transition to more representative governance.[56] However, the U.S. must not abandon Iraq as it did with South Vietnam in 1975. It is possible that such an action would lead to civil war. In my opinion the differences between the two cases are more than the similarities, especially in the military aspects. But underestimating the Iraqi insurgents would be a mistake that the U.S. did with the Vietnamese Communists in Vietnam. After all, even the appearance of the insurgency after U.S. operations surprised many. In addition, even though the appeal of the Iraqi insurgency cannot be compared to the Vietnamese Communists, the Iraqi insurgency has attacked key targets to Iraqs reconstruction. Policymakers need to be careful with the two aspects that are similar in both wars. The challenges of state-building and the need to maintain domestic political support. State-building in Iraq could fail for the same reasons that failed in Vietnam: inability to create a political order that gets legitimacy by the citizens. Moreover, the domestic political support cannot be taken for granted, especially now that people have in their memories the consequences of the Vietnam War. In addition, the absence of a North Vietnam in Iraq could change, with a hostile external state intervention. For instance, Iran, which has strong state interests in Iraq that have so far been served by the U.S. destruction of the Saddam Hussein regime may try to cause chaos in Iraq. Iran has no interest in the resurrection of a powerful Iraq, and certainly not a democratic Iraq, and it has the means to get thousands of Iraqi Shiites on the streets to protest the U.S. occupation. To conclude with, it is important to mention the greatest difference between the two wars. The Vietnam War is a finished event, whereas Iraq War is still in progress. We know what happened in Vietnam, but we do not know what Iraqs fate will be. Robert L. Bartley, Iraq: Another Vietnam? Wall Street Journal, November 3, 2003 Harry G. Summers, Jr., Vietnam War Almanac, New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985, p. 113. See John W, Garver, The Chinese Threat and the Vietnam War, Parameters, Spring 1992, pp. 73-85. Larry Berman, Planning a Tragedy: The Americanization of the War in Vietnam, New York: W. W. Norton, 1982, p. 92. Larry Berman, Planning a Tragedy: The Americanization of the War in Vietnam, New York: W. W. Norton, 1982, p. 94. Shelby Stanton, Vietnam Order of Battle, Washington, DC: U.S. News Books, 1981, p. 333 James J. Wirtz, The Tet Offensive: Intelligence Failure and War, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991, pp. 247-251 David L. Anderson, The Columbia Guide to the Vietnam War, New York: Columbia University Press, 2002, pp. 286, 287, 288. Phillip S. Meilinger, Air Power: Myths and Facts, Maxwell AFB, AL; Air University Press, December 2003, p. 78. Anthony H. Cordes