SABMiller Strategic Marketing Plan Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SABMiller Strategic Marketing Plan - Lab Report Example SABMiller’s vision is to be the most admired company in the global beer industry; they are slowly accomplishing this by becoming the world’s largest brewers. SABMiller own over 200 brands of beer, they employ around 70,000 people in 75 countries, on top of this they are also the largest bottlers of coca-cola products. In Australia, SABMiller own over 58 beer and cider brands that are in the Australian Market. In late 2011, SABMiller bought out Fosters Group Limited which provided them exposure to the Australian beer and cider market. SABMiller believe that their competitive edge comes from their superior marketing and branding as well as having an understanding that every brand has a story and heritage that will always sit close to home within the local communities. SABMiller is such a successful company because they believe in corporate social responsibility and looking after the local community. They know, to succeed, you must be aware of and be able to manage your st akeholders, whether their employees, management, local community groups, local breweries, government and the media. It is for this reason that SABMiller is successful and able to be the largest brewer globally, they understand the needs of their business, both internationally and locally. Fosters Group Limited Fosters was first developed in 1888 when two brothers, William and Ralph Foster, first brewed Fosters Lager. Fosters Group Limited is part of the world’s largest brewing groups SABMiller. Fosters places it primary focus on its brewing activities as the majority of its sales revenue is driven from Carlton United Brewery. The majority of their business is done in the Australian and Pacific regions. Fosters employs approximately 2000 people, with most of those employees being employed in Australia. Fosters does trading in more than 45 countries and is the leading provider of premium beverages in beer, cider, spirits and non alcoholic drinks. Fosters Group limited prides th emselves on being the leader of innovation by investing in their brands and maintaining the highest quality standards. They wish to remain steadfast in market. Carlton United Brewery Carlton United Brewery was founded in 1854 in Melbourne, Victoria. It was in 1907 that Carlton United Brewery and Fosters joined forces, in 1983 Fosters Group Limited bought out Carlton United Brewery making the merger official. Carlton United Brewery has more than a 50% market share in the off-premise beer category. Carlton United Brewery is the largest producer of cider in Australia, producing 3 of the top rated brands. In 2007 Carlton United Brewery transformed into a franchise distribution model creating an easier way to service customers and produce top quality customer service. Due to the franchise distribution model Carlton United Brewery is now able to service over 17,000 customers and 20,000 total including hotels, clubs, liquor stores, restaurants and bars with around 800,000 deliveries made a round Australia each year. Strongbow Cider Strongbow cider was first produced in 1887; it was not until 1970 that Strongbow was first introduced into the Australian market. Bulmers was the first company to produce Strongbow, they held onto Strongbow until 2003 when Fosters Group Limited bought them out. Fosters Group Limited continue to produce and distributes Australia’s leading cider brand, Strongbow consists of five different product types they are Strongbow clear, original, dry, sweet and pear cider. 3.2 SBU The Small Business

Goals in life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Goals in life - Essay Example Starting with what you know involves getting to know yourself a little better without all the hang-ups and expectations of the world you were brought up in. To get to know yourself better, you have to sit down and really think about what’s important to you, what your morals are and what you feel is ethically correct. This is all about those intangible things that are meaningful to you. If you’re thinking about how impressive a 15 bedroom house would be to your friends and family, you’re on the wrong track but if you’re thinking about how it might be necessary to have 15 bedrooms in order to house all those children you want to have, you might be onto something. Follow the thought a little deeper and you might discover that what is important to you is that you have a close relationship with a number of different people. The next step after figuring out what’s really important to you is to experiment with those areas that you aren’t all that familiar with. Do you like to do things outdoors? If you’ve grown up in the inner city, this might be a very difficult question to answer. While you’re young is the time to experiment with different ways of living, different ways of looking at the world and different ideas of what you might wish to do in life. Talk with people who are from different countries, different backgrounds and different socio-economic classes. You might learn something about yourself and you will certainly gain a greater appreciation for the diversity of the world around you. You may discover that your inner city dreams of the 15 bedroom house meant that you want close relationships with people but that you also desire more personal space, meaning an office job will not make you happy. Finally, knowing what is really important to you and having had the chance to experiment with a variety of viewpoints, you are ready to begin setting your goals. Envision what your life might look like in 20 years

Banking, Corporate Governance and the 2007 Financial Crisis

Banking, Corporate Governance and the 2007 Financial Crisis Throughout the world, by the end of 2008, many banks had seen most of their equity destroyed by the crisis that started in the US subprime sector in 2007. Yet, not all banks across the world performed equally poorly. In this paper, we investigate how banks that performed better during the crisis, measuring performance by stock returns, differed from other banks before the crisis. Academics, journalists, and policy-makers have argued that lax regulation, insufficient capital, excessive reliance on short-term financing, and poor governance all contributed to making the crisis as serious as it was. If these factors did contribute to making the crisis worse, we would expect that banks that were more exposed to these factors performed more poorly during the crisis. We investigate the relation between these factors and the stock return performance of large banks during the crisis, where large banks are defined as banks with assets in excess of $50 billion in 2006. With our definition of la rge banks, 32 countries had at least one large bank and our sample includes 164 large banks from these countries. Many analyses of the crisis emphasize the run on the funding of banks that relied on short-term finance in the capital markets for a substantial fraction of their financing (see, for instance, Adrian and Shin, 2008, Brunnermeier, 2009, Gorton, 2010, and Diamond and Rajan, 2009). We would expect banks that rely on short-term finance before the crisis to perform worse during the crisis. We find that this is the case with two different approaches. First, we find strong evidence that banks that relied more on deposits for their financing in 2006 fared better during the crisis. Second, following Demirg ¨ ucKunt and Huizinga (2010), we use a measure of short-term funding provided by sources other than customer deposits. We show that performance is strongly negatively related to that mea-sure both for the sample of large banks and the sample extended to include large financial institutions that are not depository banks, such as investment banks. These analyses also emphasize how losses fo rce banks to reduce their leverage, perhaps through fire sales of securities, and how this effect is greater for banks with more leverage. We find that large banks with less leverage in 2006 performed better during the crisis. An Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report argues that ‘‘the financial crisis can be to an important extent attributed to failures and weaknesses in corporate governance arrangements’’ (Kirkpatrick, 2008). More recently, the National Commission on the Causes of the Financial and Economic Crisis in the United States concluded that ‘‘dramatic failures of corporate governanceyat many systematically important financial institutions were a key cause of this crisis.’’ (The Financial Crisis Inquiry Report, 2011, pp. xvii). Some academic studies also emphasize that flaws in bank governance played a key role in the performance of banks (Diamond and Rajan, 2009, and Bebchuk and Spamann, 2010). The idea is generally that banks with poor governance engaged in excessive risk taking, causing them to make larger losses during the crisis because they were riskier. We use two proxies for governance. The first one is the ownership of the controlling shareholder in 2006. The second one is whether the bank had a shareholder-friendly board. To the extent that governance played a role, we would expect banks with better governance to have performed better. It is generally believed that greater ownership by insiders aligns their incentives more closely with the interests of shareholders. However, a powerful controlling shareholder could use control of a bank to benefit other related entities, so that it is not necessarily the case that greater ownership by the controlling shareholder means better alignment of interests of management with shareholders. Some limited evidence shows that banks with higher ownership by the control-ling shareholder performed better. In contrast, a strong and unambiguous relation exists between the extent to which a board was shareholder friendly in 2006 and a bank’s performance during the crisis. Banks with a share-h older-friendly board performed worse during the crisis. The hypothesis that the crisis resulted from excessive risk taking made possible by poor governance would imply the opposite result, so that our evidence poses a considerable challenge to the proponents of that hypothesis. We also investigate whether banks with better governance were less risky in 2006 and find no evidence supportive of that hypothesis either. Banks with more shareholder-friendly boards had a lower distance to default in 2006 but did not have higher idiosyncratic risk or higher leverage than other banks. Like Laeven and Levine (2009), we find that banks with higher controlling shareholder ownership are riskier, as these banks had greater idiosyncratic risk and a lower distance to default before the crisis. Governance and board characteristics are endogenously determined (see, e.g., Hermalin and Weisbach, 1998). In the context of our study, an important form of endogeneity stressed in the literature seems to have little relevance. Though taking into account the possibility that good governance could be caused by expectations about future outcomes generally is important, the banks with more shareholder-friendly boards are highly unlikely to have had such boards because they anticipated the crisis and expected to require better governance during it. At the same time, the concern that governance is significantly related to performance because it is associated with unobserved bank characteristics is important in the context of our study. In fact, the existence of such a relation is the only way to explain the results we find. In other words, shareholder-friendly boards created more value for shareholders through their decisions before the crisis, but during the crisis these decisions were associated with poor outcomes that could not be forecasted. For this explanation to work, these risks must not have been captured by traditional measures because accounting for these measures does not eliminate the relation between governance and performance we document. An example that could explain what we find is that banks with more shareholder-friendly boards invested more aggressively in highly-rated tranches of subprime securitizations. Such investments did not appear risky in 2006 by traditional risk measures, but they did work out poorly for the banks that made them. An alternative explanation for our results is that certain banks optimally chose more shareholder-friendly governance before the crisis because they were exposed to risks that required more independent board monitoring. With this view, the risks were not chosen by the board but instead led to the choice of a shareholder-friendly board. These risks had adverse realizations during the crisis, but because the banks had a shareholder-friendly board, they performed better than they would have had otherwise. With this explanation, banks with good governance had poor returns because of the risks they had, but they would have had even lower returns had they had worse governance. Governance is negatively related to performance in this case because it is correlated with risks that had adverse realizations, but it led to better performance nevertheless. Though we find some support for the latter explanation, neither explanation is consistent with the view that po or bank governance was a first-order cause of the crisis. We use the 2008 World Bank survey on bank regulation to examine the hypothesis that lax regulation led banks to take excessive risks that caused large losses during the crisis (see, e.g.,Dooley, Folkerts-Landau, and Garber (2009), Stiglitz (2010)). We use indices for the power of the regulators, oversight of bank capital, restrictions on bank activities, and private monitoring of banks. There is no convincing evidence that tighter regulation in general was associated with better bank performance during the crisis or with less risky banks before the crisis. In all our regressions, only the index on restrictions of bank activities is positively related to the performance of banks during the crisis.Barth, Caprio, and Levine (1999) show that the banking system is more fragile in countries where banking activities are more restricted. However, some observers, perhaps most visibly the former chair-man of the Federal Reserve System Paul Volcker, have blamed the difficulties of banks during the crisis on their activities not related to making loans and taking deposits. Though we find that large banks in countries where bank activities were more restricted suffered less from the crisis, no evidence exists that such restrictions made banks less risky before the crisis using common measures of risk. Most likely, therefore, to the extent that restrictions on bank activities are associated with better performance of banks during the crisis, it is because traditional bank activities were less exposed to the risks that turned out poorly during the crisis than were newer or less traditional bank activities. In addition, we find that stronger regulations for bank capital were associated with less risk before the crisis. Given the attention paid to the moral hazard resulting from deposit insurance, we investigate whether banks in countries with a deposit insurance scheme performed worse and find no evidence supportive of this hypothesis. However, banks in countries with formal d eposit insurance schemes had higher idiosyncratic risk before the crisis. If banks are impeded from making loans because of poor financial health, economic growth is weaker. It is therefore important to understand whether the variables that help predict returns during the crisis also help explain loan growth. In a related paper,Cornett, McNutt, Strahan, and Tehranian (2011)find that US banks with more exposure to liquidity risk experienced less loan growth during the crisis. We have a much smaller sample than they have, so that our tests do not have as much power as theirs and are less definitive. Nevertheless, we find evidence that is supportive of their results on an international sample composed of much larger banks than the typical bank in their study. Banks with more shareholder friendly boards have lower loan growth during the crisis. Finally, a strong positive relation exists between loan growth and restrictions on bank activities. We also estimate regressions excluding US banks. With these regressions, we can evaluate whether the worse performers were banks from countries where the banking system was more exposed to the US according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) statistics. These regressions allow us to assess whether holding US exposures was a contagion channel [see, e.g.,Eichengreen,Mody, Nedeljkovic, and Sarno (2009)for the view that assets were a contagion channel]. We find that banks from countries where the banking system was more exposed to the US performed worse. Our main results hold up in a variety of robustness tests. Our study is limited by the data available. Ideally, we would like to have data on the nature of holdings of securities by banks. However, such data are generally not available. Another limitation of our study is that, in the fall of 2008, countries stepped in with capital injections and other forms of support of banks. Such intervention might have distorted returns. Yet, our results generally hold for returns measured from mid-2007 to just before the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in September 2008. Moreover, Panetta, Faeh, Grande, Ho, King, Levy, Sigboretti, Taboga, and Zaghini (2009) show that the announcement of rescue packages did not have a positive impact on bank stock prices across countries. We estimate our regression that includes the indicator variable for whether the board is shareholder-friendly for a sample that includes investment banks and other financial institutions not subject to the Basle Accords (i.e., financ ial institutions that do not report Tier 1 capital and are not subject to the regulations forming the basis for our regulatory variables). We find that our results hold for that sample. The paper proceeds as follows. In Section 2,we introduce the data that we use. In Section 3, we examine how the performance of banks during the crisis relates to governance, regulation, balance sheet composition, and country characteristics other than regulation. We also show how these attributes are related to bank risk before the crisis. We conclude in Section 4.

Essay --

When we analyze a work, it is easy to judge the characters by the standards of our time, but this is not very fair to them. They do not follow our rules; they follow the standards of their societies. In addition, unless the characters’ thoughts are revealed to us in soliloquies or asides, we cannot tell if the person knows of his or her actions’ consequences. To determine if a character is â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad,† we must set a standard and evaluate it for each text we examine. We shall define â€Å"goodness† as performing actions whose outcomes are net positive, intended or not, and â€Å"badness† as the opposite. Through this lens we shall examine King Claudius of Hamlet, discovering that while Claudius might be a good King, he is definitely not a good person. When we first meet Claudius, he is holding court and giving a very long and eloquent speech with frequent use of the â€Å"royal we.† He begins by unifying himself with the audience in grief over â€Å"our dear brother’s death† (1.2.1) and then explains he will marry Queen Gertrude to both solidify his rule and bring â€Å"mirth to funeral† (1.2.12). However, it is odd that King Hamlet’s son, Hamlet, did not inherit the throne. Claudius explains, referring to his near marriage, that the nobles â€Å"have freely gone / With this affair along† (1.2.15-6), so it is likely that he convinced the nobles to vote for him as King instead of Hamlet, who was away. Instead of taking the crown by force, which Laertes and Fortinbras will later attempt, Claudius became King without any harm whatsoever, excepting the murder of King Hamlet. His ease with the royal court and the trust he places in the nobles are signs of his good Kingship, however much hidden blood there may be. Claudius is not just friendly with the nobles. ... ...m; the poisoned goblet makes Hamlet realize Claudius’s plan and results in Hamlet killing him with the same goblet. Although we quickly see through Claudius’s sham, his â€Å"bad† qualities might be the reason for his â€Å"good† Kingship. After all, a King who is ambitious, manipulative, and selfish would want to keep the throne, and since Claudius dislikes confrontation, he has evidently decided to remain in power by being a just and wise ruler. He might have had the wrong motivations and a terrible character, but royal policies were, on the whole, good for Denmark. But we must not forget his terrible choice; instead of giving up his sins’ rewards, he chooses to keep them and kill Hamlet to assure his crown. Make no mistake, Claudius was a bad person, but Denmark had experienced an extraordinary King, ended with poisoned drink in his throat and poisoned sword in his chest.

Bottlenecks in a Process Essay

Bottleneck can slow down production and diminish efficiency. According to Li, Chang, & Ni, (2009) â€Å"quick and correct identification of the bottleneck locations can lead to an improvement in the operation management of utilizing finite manufacturing resources, increasing the system throughput, and minimizing the total cost of production† (p.1). The operation of preparing dinner will be analysis to find where the process has a bottleneck and how to eliminate or reduce the bottleneck time. Identifying the Bottleneck in the Process When preparing dinner marinating the meat has proven to be a bottleneck for the process. For example steak can require up to 24 hours to be marinated, holding production for 24 hours is a problem. Choosing a different cut of meat can reduce the time and can require as little as one hour for the meat to marinate. In the production of preparing dinner an hour is still a bottleneck in the process. Considering it can be one hour to marinate the meat, then twenty minutes to cook while side dishes such as rice will only take about thirty minutes to cook the two process can not be run parallel on product will be undercook while the other overcook. Data Collection Reviewing the data collected over the last four week in preparing dinner the cycle of the process is longer when meat requiring longer marinating time is used in the preparation of dinner. During week two on the second day the preparation of dinner took sixty minutes. The marinating of the meat prevented the process of the side dish to begin because it would cause the meal to be overcooked. The key is to schedule the process capacity carefully to ensure the bottleneck is eliminate or reduce. One step taken to reduce the bottleneck time to make long-term decision regarding the process and have the meat marinates overnight. Avoiding last minute decision increases the efficiently in the process time. Conclusion According to Kamauff, (2010) †bottleneck-point in a process where the flow slows and work-in-process accumulates because of a difference between capacity of one process and the demand of the next†(p.32). Identifying the bottleneck can help plan the process more efficient to reduce the waste of resource such as time. Preparing dinner can be time consuming but with long-term planning and decision making improvements can be made to the process to reduce time. The extra time can be utilize do spend more time with the family reviewing the day.

Michael Porters Strategy

Michael Porters Strategy Michael Porter is the University Professor (the highest honor in Harvard University) in Harvard Business School. He is acknowledged as the father of competitive strategy. He has two main theoretical perspectives; one is â€Å"the five forces model of competition†, and the other one is just the â€Å"three competition strategies† (Michael Porters Strategy). The three competition strategies are cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and segmentation strategy. These strategies are used for people to achieve, maintain and even increase their competitiveness of their business.Porter thought that the purpose of these strategies is to make the business of the enterprises better than their competitors: some of the enterprises can gain higher revenue in some industries; however, in some other industries, the success of one of the strategies may just give the enterprise a little bit profit. Porter also said that the possibility could be very l ow that the basic goal of an enterprise may be more than one. Because enterprises need to try their best to achieve one strategy and they also need organizational arrangement to support the strategy.If the enterprise has more than one goal, these resources will be dispersed. Cost leadership strategy. This strategy asks the enterprises to establish efficient production line, decrease the cost on the basis of their experience, and control the cost of management and production cost, so as to reduce the costs of R&D (research and development), service, marketing, advertising, etc. In order to reach these goals, management need to be highly concentrated. If the enterprise has low cost, it means that this enterprise can earn more value when other enterprises lose profit in competition.Enterprises need to obtain high relative market share or other strength, such as good communication with raw material suppliers, to get the good status of the lowest total cost. This status is very attractiv e; because once an enterprise wins the status, they can get higher marginal profit, as well as invest to new equipment and modern equipment to keep their leading position of cost. This kind of re-invest is the precondition of keeping the condition of low cost. Differentiation strategy. Differentiation strategy is to make the products or service differently to make them special.There are many ways to achieve this strategy: design the brand image, make technic unique, perform distinctive, provide customer service, build business network and make other aspect unique. The best way is that the enterprise has many differentiation characters. If this strategy implemented well, it can make the enterprise get high level of profit. Porter thought that building differentiation strategy means that the enterprise needs to think clearly because of the exclusiveness of it. The strategy cannot stay with increasing market share.Enterprises need to spend high cost when establishing this strategy. Tho ugh clients know clearly about the special strength of the enterprise, they may not have the ability or they are not willing to pay for the high cost the enterprises asked them to pay. Segmentation strategy. This strategy focuses on a special client group, or a small area of the production line or a special market. Segmentation strategy focuses on better service a special target, while the other two strategies focus on the whole industry.The precondition of this strategy is that the business of the enterprise can provide better service and higher efficiency to its special strategic target, so as to exceed other competitors in broader area. Porter said that this strategy could both achieve differentiation and low cost. However, this strategy means that the market share is limited. Segmentation strategy cannot increase both profit rate and the amount of sales. Porter indicated that enterprises need to make sure about the three strategies and they should make a fundamental strategic de cision to close up to the three strategies, but not hesitate at the crosswords.Once the enterprise does not make the decision, they will spend much money and time. Using these strategies one by one will be failed, cause the requirement of them are totally different. Baike, 2013, â€Å"Michael Porter†, Biaduoedia, viewed at March 12th 2013, Wiki, 2013, â€Å"Porter’s generic etrategy†, wiki article, viewed at March 12th 2013,

Tropical Rainforests - Harbors of Diversity

Tropical Rainforests - Harbors of Diversity Biodiversity is a term biologists and ecologists use to describe natural biotic variety. The numbers of animal and plant species plus the richness of gene pools and living ecosystems all make for sustained, healthy, and diverse ecosystems. Plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, bacteria, and fungi all live together with non-living elements like soil, water, and air to make a functioning ecosystem. A healthy tropical rainforest is the worlds most spectacular example of a living, functioning ecosystem and the ultimate example of biodiversity. Just How Diverse are Tropical Rainforests? Rainforests have been around a long time, even on a geological scale. Some existing rainforests have evolved over 65 million years. This time-enhanced stability has in the past allowed these forests greater opportunities for biological perfection. Future tropical rainforest stability is now not so certain as human populations have exploded, rainforest products are in demand, and countries struggle to balance the environmental issues with the needs of citizens living off these products. Rainforests by their very nature harbor the greatest biological gene pool in the world. The gene is a basic building block of living things and every species is evolved by various combinations of these blocks. The tropical rainforest has nurtured this pool for millions of years to become the exclusive home for 170,000 of the worlds 250,000 known plant species. What Is Tropical Rainforest Biodiversity? Tropical rainforests support higher land area units (acres or hectares) of biodiversity when compared to temperate or arid forest ecosystems. There are some educated guesses by experts that tropical rainforests on our planet contain about 50% of the world’s terrestrial plant and animal species. The most common estimate of the size of total rainforests amount to approximately 6% of the world’s land area.   While tropical rainforests around the world have many similarities in their climates and soil composition, each regional rainforest is unique. You will not find precisely the same species living in all the tropical rainforests around the world. For example, the species in African tropical rainforests are not the same as the species living in the tropical rainforests of Central America. However, the different species play similar roles within their specific regional rainforest. Biodiversity can be measured on three levels. The National Wildlife Federation lists these levers as:1) Species diversity - being  the sheer variety of living things, from microscopic bacteria and fungi to towering redwoods and enormous blue whales.  2)  Ecosystem diversity  - being tropical rainforests, deserts, swamps, tundra, and everything in between.  3)  Genetic diversity  - being the variety of genes within a single species, which give rise to the variations that cause species to evolve and adapt over time. Two Fantastic Rainforest/Temperate Forest Comparisons To comprehend just how marvelous this biodiversity is, you have to make a comparison or two: One study in a Brazilian rainforest found 487 tree species growing on a single hectare (2.5 acres), while the US and Canada combined only have 700 species on millions of acres.There are approximately 320 butterfly species in all of Europe. Just one park in a Peruvian rainforest, The Manu National Park, has 1300 species. Top Biodiverse Rainforest Countries: According to Rhett Butler at Mongabay.com, the following ten countries are home to the most biodiverse tropical rainforests on Earth. The United States is included only because of Hawaiis protected forests. The countries in order of diversity are: BrazilColombiaIndonesiaChinaMexicoSouth AfricaVenezuelaEcuadorPeruUnited States

How the State Profits from War Essays

How the State Profits from War Essays How the State Profits from War Essay How the State Profits from War Essay One of the most abiding misconceptions in economic science is that war is good to the economic system ( Moffatt. n. pag. ) . This myth was farther perpetuated by the economic expert and New York Times editorialist Paul Krugman. who wrote: Ghastly as it may look. ( the devastation of the World Trade Center ) could even make some economic good†¦ the drive force behind the economic lag has been a dip in concern investing. Now. all of a sudden. we need some new office buildings ( Tracinski. n. pag. ) . Indeed. bad economic sciences reign in minutes of crisis and or terror. when people are despairing for solutions. To rebut the alleged benefits of the War Economy. reviews use the fallacy of the broken window ( Tracinski. n. pag. ) . When a vandal throws a brick through a shop’s window and the shop’s proprietor has to pass. state. $ 200 for the window’s fix. the people will believe that the defacer has given a positive part to society. After all. the fix of the broken window meant an instant encouragement in employment and economic activity ( Tracinski. n. pag. ) . But what these short-sighted citizens didn’t know was that the $ 200 that was spent on repairing the window could hold been used in ventures that might hold advanced the store owner’s endeavor. Unfortunately. advocates of the War Economy assumed that ( since ) a broken window can excite the economic system. ( it must be better ) when literally 1000s of them are broken ( Tracinski. n. pag. ) . For them. wars are important for the endurance of modern economic systems ( Cline. n. pag. ) . War Economy advocates believed that about every industry is involved with supplying goods and services to the armed forces ( uniforms. nutrient. medical specialties. arms fabricating. etc. ) . Hence. should war be eliminated. these concerns. peculiarly engineering and fabrication. will turn up up. Another statement of the angels of the War Economy is that it is the fastest solution to an economic slack ( Moffatt. n. pag. ) . When the economic system is undergoing recession. production is low and people are passing less than usual. But when the authorities goes into war. it will necessitate arms and equipment for its soldiers. Economic activity is hence expected to increase due to the rise both in authorities disbursement and the private sector’s concern minutess with the miliatry. Corporations will scramble for contracts that will let them to provide uniforms. vehicles and bombs to the ground forces. These companies will hold to engage more workers to maintain up with the addition in demand. take downing the unemployment rate in the procedure. There are even some workers who will be employed to replace those who volunteered as reservists abroad. Since the unemployment rate is decreased. consumers will pass more once more. Increased ingestion. in bend. will hike the retail sector. At the terminal of the twenty-four hours. there will be overall economic growing. thanks to the authorities fixing for war. However. critics contended that the above-named jutting economic promotion is at the disbursal of incapacitated civilians from Third World states ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . In 2002. one-year planetary military outgos were estimated to be more than $ 800 billion ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . The United States was at the top of this list. passing $ 343. 2 billion annually ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . Canada earned more than $ 3 million from selling arms in the same twelvemonth ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . Harmonizing to the United Nations Platform for Action Committee – Manitoba ( UNPAC-Manitoba ) article The Economicss of War ( n. d. ) . a big portion of the economic systems of all of the world’s wealthiest states derives from the sale of weapons ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . From 1996 to 2000. the US exported $ 54 billion worth of weaponries – 45 % of the entire sum of arms that was exported around the universe ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . Russia came 2nd at $ 21 billion ( 17 % ) . followed by France ( $ 11 billion or 9 % ) . the United Kingdom ( $ 8 billion or 7 % ) and Germany ( $ 6 billion or 5 % ) ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . As a consequence. says the United Nations Development Program ( UNDP ) in 2002. 500. 000 firearm-related deceases occur yearly ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . Each twelvemonth. land mines kill 15. 000-20. 000 kids and grownups ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . Iraq’s malignant neoplastic disease rates rose to 700 % between 1991 and 1994 due to chemical arms. while 86 million people have perished in belligerencies after World War II ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. unpac. ca. n. pag. ) . The Iraq war in 2003 was the latest illustration of how the US turned war into a money-making venture. It was rooted in the logic of planetary monopoly capital. specifically American capitalist economy. to spread out into an empire ( Barona. 33 ) . Despite being packaged as a terrorist war. ( to transfuse fear among disparagers ) it was brought approximately by the globalisation policies of American transnational companies. peculiarly the US oil industry and the military-industrial composite ( MIC ) ( Barona. 33 ) . Iraq is one of the world’s biggest oil militias – it. along with other OPEC states such as Saudi Arabia. Iran. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. has 79 % of the world’s entire oil supply ( __________ . 16 ) . For the US to hold limitless entree to Iraq’s oil. it merely had to take Saddam Hussein. a steadfast US opposition. from power. Back place. the US economic system was sustained by military disbursement – the injection of fresh capital was necessary to resuscitate an economic system that would go on to deteriorate if left to the free market ( Barona. 33 ) . But the Iraq war proved to be black for the US economic system. The US spends $ 200 million daily merely to be able to go on its military operations in Iraq ( Wolk. n. pag. ) . Even if the US eventually decides to draw its military personnels out of Iraq within another three old ages. entire direct and indirect costs to US taxpayers will probably by more than $ 400 billion†¦the entire economic impact at up to $ 2 trillion ( Wolk. n. pag. ) . Economist and Nobel Prize victor Joseph Stiglitz ( a well-known castigator of the Iraq war ) claimed that the entire cost of US military intercession in Iraq is a staggering $ 1 trillion to $ 2 trillion. including $ 500 billion for the war and business and up to $ 300 billion in future wellness attention costs for hurt troops ( Wolk. n. pag. ) . Stiglitz added that farther disbursals include a negative impact from the lifting cost of oil and added involvement on the national debt ( Wolk. n. pag. ) . These astronomically immense amounts of money came from revenue enhancements – financess that should hold been diverted to basic societal services such as instruction. wellness and lodging. While ordinary American citizens were enduring from the economic calamity brought approximately by the Iraq war. a few persons and corporations cahsed in on the said struggle. In 2007. Lockheed Martin ( the taking arms maker in the US ) had a net income addition of 22 % ( Scheer. n. pag. ) . In the same twelvemonth. the net incomes of its rivals Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics rose by 62 % and 22 % . severally ( Scheer. n. pag. ) . Boeing’s net incomes. meanwhile. increased by 61 % ( Scheer. n. pag. ) . Below are some personalities who were said to hold besides profitted from the Iraq War: a ) Former US President George W. Bush. Sr. – Shareholder and former Senior Advisor in the Carlyle Group. a defence contractor with ties to the Saudi royal household and the Bin Ladens. B ) Former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci – Member of the RAND Board of Trustees and co-chair of the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy Advisory Board. Besides the president of the Carlyle Group. degree Celsius ) Former Secretary of State and Secretary of Treasury James Baker – Former Carlyle Senior Counselor. vitamin D ) White House Budget Advisor Richard Darman – Carlyle Managing Director vitamin E ) US Vice President Dick Cheney – Head of Halliburton Co. . an oil endeavor that traded with Libya and Iran through foreign subordinates ( Lynch. n. pag. ) . Thankss to the craze brought approximately by the War on Terrorism and the Iraq war. taxpayers were swindled into funding the War Economy that made millionaires out of Bush and his like. And every bit long as the absurd propaganda of The War on Terrorism and the Iraq war continues to be. ordinary Americans will pass their full lives paying revenue enhancements non for basic societal services. but as a tribute to Bush and his kind for them to be able to populate like male monarchs. Plants Cited The Oil Equation in the US Bid against Iraq. Education for Development October 2002: 15-16. Barona. Caesar. Technology. Power and the War against Terrorism. The National Guilder July 2002: 32-33. Cline. Austin. Economic Benefits of War. n. d. About. com. 18 February 2008 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //atheism. about. com/library/FAQs/phil/blphil_eth_wardef_econ. htm gt ; . Lynch. Colum. Firms Iraq Deals Greater Than Cheney Has Said. 23 June 2001. Global Policy Forum. 19 February 2008 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. globalpolicy. org/security/sanction/iraq1/oilforfood/2001/0627chen. htm gt ; . Moffatt. Mike. Are Wars Good for the Economy? n. d. About. com 18 February 2008 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //economics. about. com/od/warandtheeconomy/a/warsandeconomy. htm gt ; .

After Thousand Years Essays - Anaida, De, Green Leaves, Free Essays

fter thousand years naida want to believe to a memory and love, left man after him and no matter what he did no matter what he does and will do in his future , he just has to do something good for world?s sake, something important to every body who he is surrounded with, let it be a very little thing? here was a man, so he created how to write and read, he taught then children how to do it. Soon they became talented writers; there was a man, he painted pictures and in the museums people were feeling better in their hearts looking at them; there was a man, he planted a seedling, after some years it grew up a big tree and made the air cleaner. here will be a man and he will continue loving, his love will retain through the centuries and after thousand years you?ll see a tree full if green leaves, under it?s shadow will sit a painter drawing a picture on canvas of a writer with a lot of papers on his knees and many other people will be around them walking, smiling from the bottom of their hearts. You can explain a picture and you?ll see that the only name for it - is the one ? ?life is beautiful?.

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Questions - Essay Example In the development of their forms of government, Egypt went straight from pre-civilization to large government units, was more centralized and authority was concentrated in a divine Pharaoh. On the other hand, Mesopotamia passed through a city-state phase, authority was more dispersed and governance was exercised through councils and participatory institutions. In form of writing, both cultures developed complex forms of writing which was monopolized by the priestly class. However, Mesopotamia developed the cuneiform alphabet while Egypt had its hieroglyphics, a more pictorial form based on simplified pictures of objects abstracted to represent concepts or sounds. Mesopotamian writing material was comprised of clay tablets and animal skins, and produced an epic literary tradition. Egypt used the papyrus formed from reeds, but used it more for record keeping (Robert Guisepi, The Origins of Civilizations, 2007). In great part, Mesopotamia developed a more advance level of science and mathematics than Egypt, although Egyptians were first to determine the length of the solar year and developed a science of medicine. Egyptian civilization was not centered on science, however, but on religion, the worship of many gods, magical rituals, and obsession with life after death (Cornelius Petrus Tiele, Comparative History of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian Religions, 1882). While their early religions developed from an awareness of nature and the environment, their attitudes differed greatly. Egypt, prosperous and harmonious and consistent with its attribution as the â€Å"gift of the Nile,† regarded their gods positively with the promise of a joyous afterlife. Mesopotamian religion was gloomy and bleak, and their prayers reflected the absence of a personal relationship with their gods and goddesses who were suspicious of humans and frequently sent calamities to underscore their humanity – as in the message of the Gilgamesh epic (Michael Streich,

Case Assign MGNT Strategy Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case Assign MGNT Strategy Implementation - Essay Example The main focus of the company was on eliminating the wastage of time and raw materials at every step of the production process. Due to this reason the company introduced fast and flexible process of manufacturing so that they could supply the customers with the best product on the right time and at an affordable price (Becker, 2012). Toyota improved their production quality by: Implementing a culture of learning within the organization for continuous improvement. Increasing the quality of the working systems. Introducing affordable alternatives for new expensive technology in the market. Creating a perfect business process within the company (ICMR, 2010). Toyota faced different business problems from other automobile companies. The company targeted a small market segment but it had to produce a variety of cars on the same assembly line. The only solution of this problem was to introduce flexible operation. This is when Toyota production system was introduced in the company. They inco rporated the idea of Just-In-time system, inspired by the ideas from American supermarkets. The company also became inspired by the idea of W. Edward Deming, which encouraged Toyota to adopt a systematic approach for solving the problems and this would lead to continuous improvement. This process was called Kaizen (Weemooseus- edublogs, 2010). The main motive of Toyota Production system was to minimize the time spend on activities which are not important or necessary. The major activities in the organization which were non-value adding waste were: Defects Disguise employment Inventory in excess Overproduction Strategic Implementation Factors Strategies are usually formulated by the top level management of the company, but the people responsible for implementing the strategy are different. Implementation is the process that links the top level management with the other employees of the organization. Strategy formulation and implementation of the strategy are two sides of the same coi n. Implementation is a process with the help of which the strategies and the policies of the company are put in action by developing programs, budgets and procedures (Kachru, 2005, p. 391). To see that the strategies have been properly implemented it is important to use the capabilities of a few to check those implementations. The factors such as the structure, culture, people of the organization, commutation, control and the outcome is very important for an organization to successfully implement the strategies. To see that the strategies formulated have been carefully implemented, the organizational structure and culture should be reviewed. In the mid of 2000 Toyota faced number of safety issues in their cars. The most notable problems Toyota faced in its design, development, suppliers, production and maintenance was due to the resignation of a number of talented professionals from Toyota. The 2007 consumer reports did not give any ratings to the cars manufactured by Toyota. The co mpanies had shortage of experts, and maintaining high quality became a million dollar question for Toyota. They had time pressure and lack of resources. The sales went down and the strengths, hybrids and electric cars were not helping the company revive (The Guardian, 2010). Structure The structure affects the organization indirectly. It also affects the implementation of strategies through the flow and control of information. The organization should always align the design and the capabilities

UK Data Natiional Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12000 words

UK Data Natiional Security - Essay Example Identity cards allow cardholders to establish their identity. This is essential for procuring several goods and services. Presently the IT is used in almost all public bodies to provide their services to the people. They require information regarding the recipients of their services. This information is retained by governmental bodies1. Nevertheless, this information can also be retrieved by criminals to steal identities for fraudulent purposes. Therefore, identity fraud enables an individual to impersonate another individual. By this impersonation the fraudulent individual can obtain the same benefits that are available genuine individuals, to which they are not entitled. Some of these provisions include social security payments, permanent residence in the UK or access to some property. In order to contain and eliminate this identity fraud, ID cards are essential2. During the Second World War, the UK government made it mandatory for every citizen to possess an ID card. These ID cards were distributed to the citizens along with ration books. Citizens aged above sixteen years were required to carry their ID cards with them. Those who failed to carry their ID cards were subjected to prosecution, as it was a criminal offence in those days. Parents and guardians had to carry their children’s identity cards. The government had stated that the enforcement of identity cards would be discontinued after the end of the war. However, the identity cards existed until the year 1952. The people revolted against the compulsory identity card scheme and contended that this scheme was alien to the traditions of the UK3. The proposed ID card scheme is not in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act. In an Institute of Public Policy Research conference, held in London, the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas made this announcement. He added that a huge database of personal information would be established as part of the proposed ID

Reflective Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective Journal - Assignment Example Critical Explanation I can relate my qualities of leadership to the time while I was attending the leadership workshop. After the first part of the workshop which involved lectures. During the first lecture, I was able to understand that the fist important requirement for a good leader is having good and effective communication skills. I believed that though I had proper communication skills I will have to fine-tune it so that it becomes more effective. In the second session various demonstrations were given. The participants were divided into groups and real life demonstration was given to us. I had to demonstrate leadership qualities during a technological change that was supposed to be occurring in a company. The change was basically related to the implementation of new automation software in the company. As a result of new implementation, strong resistance was shown by members of other groups who were from the employees. It reached a position, where the project was scheduled to b e cancelled. However, I discovered that the company is not planning to layoff any employees. I also assured them that the company will arrange training sessions and make everybody familiar with the new working technique. The discussion with the employee representatives turned out to be healthy and thankfully majority of them accepted the necessity of this change. After the success of the demonstration process, the participants as well as the lecturers of the workshop praised me for exhibiting leadership skills. Reflection On the basis of the self assessments I have come to the conclusion that though I have qualities of a good leader I will have to fine-tune my abilities and skills in order to gain recognition and subsequent achievement. To be specific, I would like to undergo special training classes on communication and achieve leadership and assessment skills in one year. In order to further asses myself, I will be carrying out an assessment that reflects about the qualities of le adership present in me. I compared my leadership with Eric Schmidt (Executive Chairman of Google) and Jeff Weiner (CEO of LinkedIn). Though I was sure about my leadership qualities there were few pitfalls. I was exposed to only few situations where I could use my leadership abilities. However, my current knowledge about leadership is a step forward which will help me in learning more complex leadership abilities. 2nd Reflective Journal Description The second journal reflects my experience during workshop training. The workshop training was on personal economics. The major objective behind attending the workshop was to learn money management. The major theme of the workshop was budget management and how to make a career in personal finance management. Apart from managing budget, I also learnt to identify my skills, career interests and utilize them for future growth and development. Critical Explanation The mentor for this workshop was Mr. Brendon Frill, a well known personal economi cs consultant. I found that person to be very nice, patient and kind. The first lesson he gave us was about creating a good impression during interview. We also prepared a life map which helped us in identifying our future goals. The second and third lesson was about preparing personal as well as family budget. I also realized that I had been over-spending from my budget. The fourth lesson was important as it helped me in understanding how to calculate credit and manage the tiny details of a

How teaming in the workplace has affected the culture of the working Essay

How teaming in the workplace has affected the culture of the working person - Essay Example Group formation might be temporary or permanent. Following are some of the main types of groups: Roles are sets of behaviors that individuals occupying specific positions within a group are expected to perform. These roles might be assigned (e.g. managers or other work related roles) or pre-determined (like father, mother, etc). Roles help in clarifying responsibilities and obligations of the group members. A status is a position or a rank within a group. People are sensitive to status because it is related to desired outcomes (e.g. salary and perks). High status people have a higher access to key resources relating to survival. Sometimes even physical features play an important role in gaining a certain status (e.g. a beautiful secretary). People can boost their status by behavior (e.g. intimidation, anger and threat) Norms are the rules within a group indicating how its members should or should not behave. Adherence to norms is a necessary condition for gaining status and other rewards controlled by groups. This forms the basis of organizational behavior. It comprises everything that causes the group members to remain in the group. It leads to depersonalized attraction, i.e. liking for other group members stemming from the fact that they belong to the group and embody or represent key features (like hard work or creativity, etc). These include effects upon performance resulting from the presence of others. Increased and positive effects occur due to collaboration, while decreased and negative effects take place due to dependence upon others. This theory says that the presence of others induces conflicting tendencies to focus on the task being performed and on the audience. The more the audience, the more the conflicts and thus, the more nervous you get. Working together with others to obtain shared goals is called co-operation. They are achieved by making others

UK Data Natiional Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12000 words

UK Data Natiional Security - Essay Example Identity cards allow cardholders to establish their identity. This is essential for procuring several goods and services. Presently the IT is used in almost all public bodies to provide their services to the people. They require information regarding the recipients of their services. This information is retained by governmental bodies1. Nevertheless, this information can also be retrieved by criminals to steal identities for fraudulent purposes. Therefore, identity fraud enables an individual to impersonate another individual. By this impersonation the fraudulent individual can obtain the same benefits that are available genuine individuals, to which they are not entitled. Some of these provisions include social security payments, permanent residence in the UK or access to some property. In order to contain and eliminate this identity fraud, ID cards are essential2. During the Second World War, the UK government made it mandatory for every citizen to possess an ID card. These ID cards were distributed to the citizens along with ration books. Citizens aged above sixteen years were required to carry their ID cards with them. Those who failed to carry their ID cards were subjected to prosecution, as it was a criminal offence in those days. Parents and guardians had to carry their children’s identity cards. The government had stated that the enforcement of identity cards would be discontinued after the end of the war. However, the identity cards existed until the year 1952. The people revolted against the compulsory identity card scheme and contended that this scheme was alien to the traditions of the UK3. The proposed ID card scheme is not in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act. In an Institute of Public Policy Research conference, held in London, the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas made this announcement. He added that a huge database of personal information would be established as part of the proposed ID

How teaming in the workplace has affected the culture of the working Essay

How teaming in the workplace has affected the culture of the working person - Essay Example Group formation might be temporary or permanent. Following are some of the main types of groups: Roles are sets of behaviors that individuals occupying specific positions within a group are expected to perform. These roles might be assigned (e.g. managers or other work related roles) or pre-determined (like father, mother, etc). Roles help in clarifying responsibilities and obligations of the group members. A status is a position or a rank within a group. People are sensitive to status because it is related to desired outcomes (e.g. salary and perks). High status people have a higher access to key resources relating to survival. Sometimes even physical features play an important role in gaining a certain status (e.g. a beautiful secretary). People can boost their status by behavior (e.g. intimidation, anger and threat) Norms are the rules within a group indicating how its members should or should not behave. Adherence to norms is a necessary condition for gaining status and other rewards controlled by groups. This forms the basis of organizational behavior. It comprises everything that causes the group members to remain in the group. It leads to depersonalized attraction, i.e. liking for other group members stemming from the fact that they belong to the group and embody or represent key features (like hard work or creativity, etc). These include effects upon performance resulting from the presence of others. Increased and positive effects occur due to collaboration, while decreased and negative effects take place due to dependence upon others. This theory says that the presence of others induces conflicting tendencies to focus on the task being performed and on the audience. The more the audience, the more the conflicts and thus, the more nervous you get. Working together with others to obtain shared goals is called co-operation. They are achieved by making others

Discuss the Types of Unemployment and the Benefits of Controlling It In the UK Essay Example for Free

Discuss the Types of Unemployment and the Benefits of Controlling It In the UK Essay Unemployment is the number of people out of work who are actively seeking employment at the current wage rates. To be actively seeking work you must be of working age: 16-64 for males and 16-59 for females and not economically inactive. That means you cannot be in full time education, be on a training scheme, have retired early or be raising children at home. To measure unemployment in the UK the government uses two methods to quantify the rate. The first is the Labour Force Survey, in a monthly survey of a sample of households representing the entire population. The surveys are based on the activities of each person of working age in the households, within a one week period. A person who did any work during that week for pay or profit, worked 15 hours or more as an unpaid worker in a family business, or had a job from which he or she was temporarily absent, is counted as employed. A person who was not working but was looking for work or was on a temporary lay-off and available to take a job is counted as unemployed. The second is the claimant count, where the governments collect figures on the number of people claiming unemployment benefits from the DSS. This second method often gives lower values as they is likely to be many people who do not except the benefits, purely on principal or because they do not need the extra cash. There are five main types of unemployment which all affect the economy in different ways. These are cyclical or demand deficient unemployment, frictional unemployment, seasonal unemployment and structural unemployment. The first of these, cyclical or demand deficient unemployment is based around what will happen to demand in a recession. When the economy goes into a recession there is a rise in unemployment as there is insufficient demand within the economy. This is really only a short term cause to unemployment, because when in recession the economy is in disequilibrium. However macroeconomic forces will work to restore the economy to its long run equilibrium, however in the short run there will be unemployment. In a recession the demand curve will shift left to D2. With the wage rate remaining constant at W in the short term there will be unemployment of GE created. In response macroeconomic forces will cause one of two changes. Either the economy will move out of recession, causing the demand curve to shift right and back to the equilibrium point of W , E. Else if the economy stays in recession the forces will cause the wage rate to drop to Y and cause the number of workers employed to rise to F. However as the economy moves out of recession the demand curve will shift right, causing the economy to move back towards its equilibrium at W , E. The second types of unemployment, frictional unemployment is the term used to define workers who have recently lost a job and are in short term unemployment until they find further employment. There is always turnover of labour in a free market, so frictional unemployment is not regarded as a major problem. Seasonal unemployment is when workers work within an industry that only requires them to be employed at certain times of the year. For example in the tourist industry workers tend to work in the summer, but are then laid off in autumn months before taking up their jobs again the next spring. There is very little that can be done to prevent seasonal unemployment in a market where the demand for labour varies throughout the year. Structural unemployment is when the demand for labour is less than the supply in an individual labour market. There are three main examples of this. Regional unemployment, where different areas of the country have different rates of unemployment and because of a lack of factor mobility, labour is not able to freely move between regions and balance unemployment. Sectoral unemployment is when workers from one industry are unable to adapt to a different industry, therefore not being able to follow the changes in demand. Finally if technological unemployment, where technology advances and replaces manual labour, therefore without retraining workers would not have the skills to operate these machines and therefore would not be suitable for the demand of labour. Controlling the rate of unemployment in the UK is going to be a key element in the performance of the UK economy. The rate of unemployment is directly related to real GDP. So in both the short run and the long run if the economy is to grow then unemployment most be controlled. The rate of unemployment will also determine the kind of policy the government will have in place to boost the economy, although this is also based on the type of government in power. The current labour government are Keynesian economists and believe that in the long run there may be mass unemployment. They also use fiscal policy, which is a demand side policy. So their economic goals will depend a lot on the long term unemployment levels that are predicted. If the government are predicting a period of sustained unemployment they are likely to be aiming at lowering inflation. Whereas if they predict full employment they can aim for increased GDP. Because of the shape of the long run aggregate supply curve, both these goals can be achieved without altering any other elements of the economy. To lower inflation the demand function would need to be shifted left. This could be achieved by an increase in the National Insurance contributions of workers. This would cause more of peoples income being taken in taxation leaving them with less money to spend on goods and services, which would cause a decrease in the total demand in the economy. To help increase economic growth the total demand in the economy would need to be increased. This would need a shift left in the demand function, which could be caused by a fall in interest rates. This would cause more people to borrow money and less to save, leaving more money in the economy which will increase the demand for goods and services. If unemployment can be kept low then the costs of unemployment are minimised as well. Not only do the government have to spend less on unemployment benefits but also have less trouble with crime and vandalism, which will also save them valuable money. Also everyone will have more money to spend, not only the previous unemployed, but also previous taxpayers as the government will require less money from them. This will increase total money in the economy and cause the aggregate demand to shift right, which will cause the growth of the economy to increase. So sustainable unemployment is good for the economy as it enables the government to set goals and work towards them around the long term predictions for unemployment rates. This is only an option if unemployment is kept in a boundary. Else if it is too fluctuated then it is hard to judge what the government will need to do from one day to the next. However controlling unemployment may not always be a good thing. For example because unemployment is directly related to economic growth, if you are controlling unemployment then you are also controlling economic growth. This will not be a good thing as the economy is at its most efficient when economic growth is climbing at a rate constant to the economy, not controlled by the government.

Defining Globalization In An Operational Way Politics Essay

Defining Globalization In An Operational Way Politics Essay It is often very difficult to trace the origin of concepts and ideas in social sciences because the concepts, theories and ideas are the products of collective activities. Therefore, it would be very difficult to identify the first use of term globalization while according to Malcolm Walters, the author of book Globalization, Roland Robertson was the early user of this term (Walters, 1995)  [1]  . Apart from the fact, who has used this term for the first time, at the emergence of twenty first century globalization in the form of concept, and slogan is used frequently as compared to any other term. In Singapore, almost everything has significance with globalization from the inflow of foreign capital, technology, workers, music, movies, culture etc. Some people consider the globalization as a train with no brakes crushing everything coming in its way and some people consider it as a benefit to get on the train towards economic growth and modernization. Concept of Globalization According to the meanings in the Oxford Dictionary, the term glocal and the noun glocalization are created by contracting both global and local together so as to make a blend (Robertson, 1995, p. 28)  [2]  . The term was transformed on Japanese word dochakuka which basically meant to adapt the farming tactics depending on the local condition of individual. Within a business world, the concept was adopted so as to refer to global localization and the idea and term of globalization originally comes from Japan (Robertson, 1995, p. 28)  [3]  . However, the term glocalization was frequently used since late eighties, there were various relevant terms existed that were used by social scientists and are still continued to use. It was claimed by various sociologists that subjects and areas like sociology and political sciences were the products of western social experiences when such fields and areas were transported to non western or non European contexts there was a need for indigen ization. The idea of indigenization created a debate among scientists because it raises basic questions regarding the application of these concepts and ideas. One of the basic concerns of globalization is that it opens the doors of doubts regarding the originality of cultures. In longer term perspectives of globalization, the locality and local are considered to be the outcomes of globalization as it is difficult to find any culture that can be viewed as isolated from the procedures of globalization (Khondker, 2004, pp. 1-9)  [4]  . The influence of globalization on culture depends on the consideration of individual about the local cultures to be protected from the external influences or the creation of new cultural activities results from the mixing of ideas and concepts from various cultures. In fact there are some cultures as discussed above that are isolated and cultural interaction though relations of trade have occurred for thousands of years. Therefore, it can be observed that the values are key to assessing the influence of globalization on the individuals lives around the globe. At the instance, it is viable to spread the concept of globalization in such a way that the conflict between various values is highlighted as they play their role in specific circumstances. Hence, the McDonaldization or Americanization of the world presents the procedure of globalization that is driven by the consumer culture of America rolling over other various cultures (Rothenberg, 2003)  [5]  . Economic Phenomena and Globalization While the US Senate pushes a bill to complete a 700-mile-long fence along the Mexican border, Saudi Arabia is finalizing plans for a similar project: a 560-mile-long, US$12 billion dollar electrified fence along its border with Iraq. Both fences are being built to keep outsiders out, to foil illegal immigrants, refugees, black-market weapons dealers, drug runners, and in Saudi Arabias case, terrorists. The US and Saudi Arabia have decided that the consequences of not building a fence are more costly than ever before, thanks to globalization, which has made borders more penetrable by more people.  [6]   Though globalization and its causes and effects are integral to reporting issues like these, the definition of the word is widely debated. Is it widespread economic liberalization? Are national frontiers simply irrelevant? (Barber, 1996)  [7]  . Scholars have developed many definitions, but no matter which definition is chosen by a journalist for a story, the definition should be operational. It should allow for in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis, so that causes and effects can be identified. Specifically, in international reporting, an operational definition of globalization should help a journalist answer important questions regarding the role of borders, domains, consciousnesses, actors, and consequences in a story (Holm, 2006).  [8]  Are fences on state borders a sign that globalization is weakening, or an example of globalizations sometimes localizing effects? In other words, the globalization might be considered and classified functionally relevant to the series of economic procedure. Such procedures include the liberalization and deregulation of markets, privatization of assets, retreat of state functions in terms of welfare, diffusion of technology, foreign direct investment etc. The term refers to the spread of sales, production facilities, manufacturing processes all around the world that can reconstitute the international division of labor. The prior decades of globalization has been witnessed by various analysts and often the discussion of globalization has been condensed into the discussion of national income that is measured in terms of growth. Connecting the amalgamation of globalization to the economic procedures, a broad statement made by Robert Z. Lawrence that in general terms the economic amalgamation leads towards the convergence with poor economies growing more fast as compared to the rich economy (Lawrence, 1996)  [9]  . It was also noted by the Harvard economist, Jeffery G. Williamson and the President of the Economic History Association, both argued that the globalization leads towards convergence as observed and evidenced in the historical decades. The essence of the argument was regarding the bottom line in terms of the living standard gap between developed and under developed countries reduces with the passage of time and hence the convergence indicates the destruction of this gap in terms of percentage (Williamson, 1996, p. 278)  [10]  . Globalization in Technological and Social Revolution It is considered to be inconsistent to ignore the more theoretical perspective in terms of the matter evidenced as a decisive shift away from industrial capitalism to a postindustrial conception of economic relations. The identical economic phenomena identified earlier are essential not only due to the reason of their representation of unique cluster of activity but also due to the representation of a new form of activity. This concept suggests an outstanding revolution among the techno-industrial higher classes that are mainly driven by the technological enhancements ultimately rendering the entire globe as a single market. It is a comprehensive vision in terms of globally cohesive production, specialized but interdependent markets of labor, privatization of state assets at faster pace, tangle linkage of technology across the conventional national borders. Furthermore, it is also argued that the development of entire new and recent economy has been evidenced along with a typical shi ft that is influencing the way of considering the wide variety of social and economic relations (Castells, 1991)  [11]  . Jan Aart Scholtes definition of globalization cannot clarify globalizations role in events like these. He sees globalization as a shift in the nature of social space due to the increase of transplanetary connections and the development of supra-territorial connections between people; he does not leave room for globalization as a force that can lead to or bolster the local (Scholte, 2005).  [12]  In addition, the space has been condensed due to the technological development even though the influence of such condensability most probably to enhance the diversity that is captured within the context of glocalization. The general reorganization of economic activities are considered to be in progress at regional levels while on the other hand, the eruption of information or communication and commodities or services flows is emerging across the various cities, regions and nations. The term glocalization is sometimes associated with the globalization as there is some conflict between thes e terms in terms of compliment or confliction. The context that glocalization is the localization of economic and political relation while shifting the authority from national level downward in such a way that heighten the responses of globalization and the conflicts with other perspectives suggesting that both are opposes on the basis of analysis and examination (Higgott Reich, 1997)  [13]  . Globalization, he says, involves reductions of barriers to transworld connections (Scholte, 2005)  [14]  . Boundaries have become defined under different criteria in a transplanetary, supra-territorial world. Not only do states borders mean less, but new types of borders exist; you can be online or offline by the click of a mouse, for example. And technology has also made supra-territoriality a possibility: global telecommunications, the Internet. Quantitatively, he says, there are more transplanetary links, the effects of relations are bigger, and the interactions are happening faster. Transplanetary relations, although they have been going on for centuries, are denser than those of any previous epoch (Scholte, 2005)  [15]  . Qualitatively, it is the supra-territorial nature of social space that is unique to the present era. Supra-territorial relations are those social connections that substantially transcend territorial geography (Scholte, 2005)  [16]  . One major sourc e of conflict lies within the context that globalization reduces the essence of geography while on the other hand, glocalization enhances it as a opposing tendency and geographical association in a sense of region and trading becomes the vital importance. Another source of conflict as suggested by Ruigrok and Rob van Tulder as they defined globalization and glocalization in terms of conflicting strategies of firms. It was also suggested that globalizing firms trail a strategy that endeavors for a worldwide division of labor in the firm while on the other hand, glocalizing firms trail an alternative strategy in which the firms find ways to imitate production within various regions while avoiding the risk associated with the establishment of trade blocs. Hence, glocalizing firms find ways to generate an interfirm division of labor that is geographically concentrated (Ruigrok Tulder, 1995, pp. 46-131)  [17]  . In most general terms, the globalizing firms are labeled multinational corporations as the glocalizing firms find various ways to imitate depending on the regions and with this difference, both behave in different manner. Multinational firms most probably decentralize production and sales but the decision making remain steadily centralized in a categorized structure. In behavioral terms, it is reflected in susceptibility to retain the overwhelming majority of Research Development facilities with specific exceptions at home (Louis W. Pauly, 1997)  [18]  . Moreover, the significance of revolution in the most positive form is reflected in the claims of Peter Schwartz and Peter Leyden that offers the prospects of four decades of prolonged growth and noteworthy transformation which is inspired by the deregulation and technological enhancements in terms of computers, telecom, biotech, nanotech, alternative energy etc (Schwartz Leyden, 1997, p. 116)  [19]  . Scholte points out four other notions of globalization as internationalization, liberalization, universalization, and westernization, and he describes these definitions in contrast to his. If defined as one of these four notions, he contends, the term globalization adds nothing new to previous understandings of the world, whereas his definition adds the concept of supra-territoriality. Scholte warns that the four definitions also hold implicit dangers because of their foci, which are narrow. If people see globalization as only economic liberalization, they will miss other important factors that make up globalization. Such limitations are dangerous according to Scholte because they blind people to the discontinuity in the underlying character of social geography (Scholte, 2005)  [20]  . If we define globalization in one of these four narrow terms, we merely rehash old knowledge and lose a major opportunity to grasp-and act upon-certain key circumstances of our times (Scholte, 2005)  [21]  . But can Scholtes definition and his new contribution, supra-territoriality, help us grasp and act upon key circumstances of our times? In international reporting-which should help us to at least grasp key circumstances-it is, to some extent, helpful to understand globalization as a respatialization of social life based on transplanetary and supra-territorial connectivity. Scholtes definition is especially useful to understand the use of framing in reporting. Globalization and Terrorism In chapter one of Framing Terrorism, Norris, Kern, and Just explain that journalists need frames to convey dominant meanings, to make sense of the facts, to focus the headlines, and to structure the story line (Norris, Montague, Marion, 2003)  [22]  . Frames help organize and prioritize stories in the nebulous realm of all news. Frames are powerful features of reporting, and can influence social space by agenda-setting, cognitive priming, and evaluation, especially when a large portion of the population has access to news and repeatedly experiences the same frame. More quickly and more widely than ever-because of mass-communications and instant transmissions-framing can link vaguely related issues with the magic of one term. 9/11, for example. It has been observed that America is at war with terrorists for over a long period of time. United States has never realized the magnitude of war until September 11, 2001. The conflict had been establishing since 1983 Marine Corps barracks bombings in Lebanon and few analysts predicted the hostility coming their way. A concept has been hypothesized by contemporary theorists renowned as the fourth generational warfare with the blurred distinctions between war and peace, civilian and military, and national and transnational groups. The global war on terrorism fits in such concept with the adversary using asymmetrical capabilities in surprising ways to devastating effects. It has been clearly understood by United States when coupled with the mass destructive weapons (Lind, Nightengale, Schmitt, Sutton, Wilson, October 1989, pp. 22-26)  [23]  . According to Norris, Kern, and Just, the event of 9/11 created a critical culture shift in the predominant news frame used by the American mass media for understanding issues of national security, altering perceptions of risk at home and threats abroad (Norris, Montague, Marion, 2003)  [24]  . Even if the real threat of terrorism did not change, the power of framing has kept the fear of terrorism ripe in the US, through the war on terrorism frame, still used daily in US international reporting. The widespread fear instigated by framing has consequently allowed the US government to restrict some civil liberties through the Patriot Act. Supra-territorial and transplanetary connections in mass communications have allowed the US government, in conjunction with US reporting, to efficiently frame international reporting and quickly assert influence over civil society. The terrorist attack on the Pentagon and the World Trade Centre was considered to be a significant and more deadly demonstration of various trends that have emerged in the period of post-Cold War. It was not considered to be a turning point that signaled and indicated the initiating of new decade of internationalization. It is obvious that terrorists always had evil objectives as demonstrated on September 11, 2001 in terms of capability to carry out deadly determinations anywhere across the entire globe with vast and major influences. Contradicting the capabilities of terrorists requires the re analyzing of strategic backgrounds and the response of United States towards such strategies. Moreover, the United States has been forced to consider the national interests and estimate the strategies of national security as a result of September 11, 2001. The most major trends having devastating influence on the strategic framework and background includes collapse of the bipolar system, reviv al of globalism, and rise of Islamic extremism. The convergence of such trends enabled various nations to experience peace, strength and increasing affluence along with various challenges. The strong repercussion have created against the considerations of various societies in terms of increasing consistency among nations and cultures that challenge to devastate and destroy the traditional local values. The terrorism has been lifted globally due to these trends and due to which it is essential for United States to re-assess the strategy (Terrorism, November 2002)  [25]  . Meanwhile, supra-territorial and transplanetary connections have benefited terrorists, as well. Al Qaeda has used the Internet to spread its message through websites and videos, and global television has allowed an array of terrorist messages to be spread to homes everywhere. Political terrorism is theater, Michael Stohl writes in Demystifying Terrorism, and terrorists are primarily interested in the audience (Stohl, 1988)  [26]  . To spread its messages, to reach audiences, to travel anywhere in a day, to take advantage of the fact that people travel en masse, to develop financial portfolios and make money through the global black-market drug and weapons rings, terrorists have relied on the density of transplanetary and supra-territorial nature of todays globalized space. But do terrorists do what they do just because that can? What are their motives? Are they just madmen? How do terrorists in Afghanistan differ from terrorists in Indonesia or India? What regions are especially conscious of terror-related problems? Why does Saudi Arabia think a fence can keep terrorists out? What are the consequences of not answering these questions? In international reporting, an understanding of Scholtes definition can help identify a storys potential frames (9/11, the War on Terror) and can even describe why some things are able to happen (terrorists are able to have a more wide-spread effect on the global stage). But in international reporting, Scholtes broad definition can only answer a slice of specific questions. It does not lead a journalist to answer important questions regarding the role of borders, domains, consciousness, actors, and consequences in a story. Contradictions and Uncertainties of Globalization Borders, in Scholtes definition, are broken down in the process of globalization, just as all barriers are reduced, and this result in more transworld social contacts (Scholte, 2005)  [27]  . With globalization, he says, people become more able-physically, legally, linguistically, culturally and psychologically-to engage with each other wherever on planet Earth they might be (Scholte, 2005)  [28]  . Besides the fact that he remains unclear about how these barriers break down, an increasing ability to engage with each other would not necessarily lead to further globality. As drug-runners and migrants have greater cross-border mobility thanks to quick transport and communications, more are crossing the US border with Mexico; in response, the US builds a fence, a literal enforcement of its traditional borders. And Saudi Arabias most recent answer to terrorism is the same: enforce traditional borders. Globalization actually links the people all around the world as a result of which new commonalities emerges into experiences with their differentiating and producing new inequalities. Similarly, when it connects the isolated regions to global network parts of the world, it ignores other regions. The events reveal the contradictions and conflicts at the core of globalization and the technologies of information, communication, and transportation facilitating the globalization can be used to damage it, and generating instruments of devastation along with the production (Kellner, 2002, pp. 285-305)  [29]  . Consequently, it has been argued that in order to theorize globalization properly it is essential to conceptualize the various contradictions that are generated by the combination of globalization of technological revolution and restructuring of capital, as a result of which conflicts are generated between capitalism and democracy. In the global economy, globalization involves the production of logic of capital with the spread of democracy in information, finance, investing and dispersal of technology. Thus, globalization is a mixture of capitalism and democracy in which the logic of capital and market system enter more fields of global life in terms of democracy spreads, more political areas and spaces of daily life are opposed by democratic demands and forces. It is observed that sometimes globalization promote democracy and sometimes it constrains it by either equating capitalism and democracy, or in a problematic manner (Friedman, 1999)  [30]  . Assessing of Matter At international level, developing and developed countries have differentiating concerns on wide basis. In developing countries, the importance is on development at any cost by indicating that the developed countries industrialized at time when there was no repute for environmental concerns and labor standards were also offensive. All such things were maintained by developing countries in order to receive assistance as little opportunities and chances were available but were needed to develop in any way. Moreover, developing countries have asked international community to postpone or cancel their astounding debt. Such countries are basically compelled to repay the loans that were taken by previous dictatorial regimes or suggested by the donors to finance development schemes (Chapter 11 Globalization)  [31]  . Additionally, if the world is becoming respacialized according to transplanetary and supra-territorial connections, is any compression of social space equally important among all domains? An African-American crude-oil trader with the Internet has more global impact than his familys remote Ugandan village with an Internet connection. But which domains of social space are more affected by respacialization, and compared to what? Is the crude-oil trader any more effective with blue-tooth technology, than he had been with wired technology? Is the village able to use their Internet connection in a way that will change their lives? Scholtes definition does not leave room for economies of scale or the ingrained character of traditional life in parts of the world. Traditional life and identities establish regional consciousnesses that determine agendas. How does a respacialization of social life change consciousnesses? The EU exists, and Europe has asserted itself as a unified economic power. Has this changed the way Germans think of themselves? How has it changed the German agenda? Scholtes definition doesnt consider the subtle interplay of identities as important in forming policies, whether the world experiences more connectivity or not. Just as domains are not equally important, neither are actors. On whom should international reports focus? Scholtes definition gives us no clues: who are those responsible for the respacialization of social life? Does it matter? And who are affected? Certainly not everyone, and certainly not in the same ways. Scholte admits this: the trend has not touched all of humanity to the same extent (Scholte, 2005)  [32]  . But how can this be measured based on Scholtes definition? This most important part of globalization, Scholte only touches upon. He writes, The growth of transplanetary and supra-territorial connections empowers some people and disempowers others (Scholte, 2005)  [33]  . If globalization creates inequalities, how great are these inequalities? Can we do anything about them? How can journalists begin to discuss them in a story? Scholtes definition leaves many questions unanswered, though these are what build stories. Other, more operational definitions of globalization have been developed and used by journalists and social scientists, on which journalists depend for measures of their subjects, audience, and their own effects. In Hans-Henrik Holms The Effect of Globalization on Media Structures and Norms, for example, this definition of globalization was used: the intensification of economic, political, social and cultural relations across borders (Holm H.-H. , 2001)  [34]  . Although it is not a universally accepted definition, the definition focuses on structural and technological elements and so can serve as a crucible, leading to new developments and insights. By including economic integration in the definition, Holm can deduce that globalization has had an effect on Danish media. One of many examples: Internationalization has pushed the media business towards larger and larger units (Holm H.-H. , 20 01)  [35]  . Holm could maneuver between qualitative and quantitative analysis and come to specific conclusions about how globalization has affected editorial choice in Danish media. In other studies, globalization as a term is more useful if it is not defined by the study. In Andreas Schucks study of vote choice in the Dutch EU constitution referendum, participants were asked their opinion of globalization, among other factors. This part of the study tried to find how some factors affected vote intention before the start of the campaign, and results indicated that people who had a fear of globalization were more likely to intend to vote no. (Schuck, September 2006)  [36]  According to Schuck, this is one of the first studies of its kind to take participants views of globalization into account, even though the term was undefined by the study (Schuk, September 2006)  [37]  . The participants relied on their own understanding of the term, however foggy. Requiring that participants defined globalization in Scholtes terms would have been counterproductive, not only because it would have been time-consuming to explain Scholtes definition. Even if the participa nts learned and understood the concept according to Scholte (or anyone else), the study then would not have revealed how public perceptions of globalization affects voters decisions. Conclusion Ultimately, globalization is not only a condition, but it is also a tool. By using the word in clearly decided ways-defining it or leaving it to subjects in a study or interview-globalization can lead journalists to understand and tell their stories more effectively. But globalization should not be over-estimated, as Holm points out in his study. When globalization is clearly defined, it is often found that the local, the traditional, is still important. One of his conclusions, in fact, is that classical news criteria are still the best predictors of what news will be chosen and used(Holm, 2006)  [38]  . And as the case

Changing Face of World Missions Essay -- Analysis, Michael Pocock

In Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew records Jesus’ last words to His disciples these verses have become known as â€Å"The Great Commission.†Since, the giving of the Great Commission followers of Christ has left their own culture in order to engage another with the saving message of the Gospel. Numerous books, articles and blogs have been written on the subject of World Evangelization or Missions. One such book on missions is called, â€Å"The Changing Face of World Missions: Engaging Contemporary Issues and Trends† this book was written by Michael Pocock, Gailyn Van Rheenen, and Douglas McConnell. All three men are experts in the field of missions; the writers have served overseas and are now currently engaged in equipping the next generation through teaching at Dallas and Fuller Theological Seminary. The authors bring a wealth of personal and academic excellence to their particular chapters as well as a passion to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The balance between academia and real world application make â€Å"The Changing Face of World Missions†, an informative and exciting read. â€Å"The Changing Face of World Missions† attempts to educate readers as well as evaluate certain trends which are taking place around the world in the area of missions. The book is divided into three sections; which are the global context of missions, missional context, and strategic context. The authors describe the chapters by saying, â€Å"(t)he global context describes major trends in the world in which we minister; the missional context deals with trends internal to the body of Christ and the mission community; and the strategic context focuses on trends of a strategic or procedural nature† (14). The thesis for the book is found on page twelve where the authors e... ... book needs a chapter in which all of the arguments and information may be summed up. My eyes were open within section two to the work of the Gospel within other cultures. I would apply the lessons learned through the book by focusing on hospitality, reaching out to internationals here in America by inviting them into my house and sharing a meal with internationals. I will also apply the principles in relation to the use of money and the need to do things in ministry which are reproducible by local believers. I would recommend this book to serious students of missions stressing the importance of the case studies which allow individuals interested in missions to apply concepts within real world examples. â€Å"The Changing Face of World Missions† is an informative and educational book which should be included on the bookshelf of any serious student of missions.

Mark Twain is a Great American Author :: Biography Biographies Essays

Mark Twain is a Great American Author In the book Huck Finn, Mark Twain not only writes about the adventures of a young boy, he depicts the struggle that people had to go through in that time period. That is just one of the reasons why some people consider Mark Twain to be the greatest American author of all time. As I was reading the book Huck Finn I started to agree more with what Mencken had to say "Put him beside Emerson, or Whitman, or Hawthorne, or even Poe; he was palpably the superior of all of them". I could really relate to lots of the ideas and emotions that sprang into Tom and Huck's heads at the time. In Huck Finn, Tom gets a group of boys together to form a little club. When I was younger I would do the same thing with friends of mine. We would act out our fantasies just like Tom and Huck did in the story. All of Huck's life he was able to live it the way that he wanted, until he had to move in with Miss Watson. But as you read you find out that every minute he is away from her he is up to his old tricks again. From going out to having a smoke with Tom, or messing up his hair so he could feel at home. You can see that he is still a little boy inside who isn't ready to grow up. Tom Sawyer is one of those type of friends that everybody has, crazy enough to get everybody's attention but smart enough to know when to stop. I read some of the things that Tom had done in the book and some of the lies he would tell and I thought "man he is crazy for doing that" but as I thought about it more it seems reasonable to a kid at that age and why wouldnt he act the way he did ? Mark Twain takes a big step to the side when he writes about one of Miss Watsons slaves. Jim is a strong black slave in about his mid-twenties. As you read about Jim and see what he's had to go through you can start to Mark Twain is a Great American Author :: Biography Biographies Essays Mark Twain is a Great American Author In the book Huck Finn, Mark Twain not only writes about the adventures of a young boy, he depicts the struggle that people had to go through in that time period. That is just one of the reasons why some people consider Mark Twain to be the greatest American author of all time. As I was reading the book Huck Finn I started to agree more with what Mencken had to say "Put him beside Emerson, or Whitman, or Hawthorne, or even Poe; he was palpably the superior of all of them". I could really relate to lots of the ideas and emotions that sprang into Tom and Huck's heads at the time. In Huck Finn, Tom gets a group of boys together to form a little club. When I was younger I would do the same thing with friends of mine. We would act out our fantasies just like Tom and Huck did in the story. All of Huck's life he was able to live it the way that he wanted, until he had to move in with Miss Watson. But as you read you find out that every minute he is away from her he is up to his old tricks again. From going out to having a smoke with Tom, or messing up his hair so he could feel at home. You can see that he is still a little boy inside who isn't ready to grow up. Tom Sawyer is one of those type of friends that everybody has, crazy enough to get everybody's attention but smart enough to know when to stop. I read some of the things that Tom had done in the book and some of the lies he would tell and I thought "man he is crazy for doing that" but as I thought about it more it seems reasonable to a kid at that age and why wouldnt he act the way he did ? Mark Twain takes a big step to the side when he writes about one of Miss Watsons slaves. Jim is a strong black slave in about his mid-twenties. As you read about Jim and see what he's had to go through you can start to