The Importance Of Financing Smes In Oman - Government Intervention Dissertation

The Importance Of Financing Smes In Oman - Government Intervention - Dissertation Example It is so because the business environment in Oman is different from that of the western countries. Hence, to examine this argument, this research study focuses on the internationalisation approaches followed by the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Oman. The decision makers of four SMEs in Oman have been interviewed in this research study. The collected data from the interviews and other secondary researches have been analysed using two approaches namely, within case analysis and cross case analysis. The findings obtained from this research study has been compared with the relevant literature on internationalisation process that exists like the theoretical framework of international new ventures (INVs) and the Uppsala School's internationalisation process model (U-model). The findings of this research study suggest that the internationalisation behaviours of SMEs in Oman are not completely different from that of the firms in the western countries. The INVs framework and th e U-model cannot explain the internationalisation process of SMEs in Oman on its own. However both these models have explained the internationalisation patterns in different ways. ... 2.3.2Factors Responsible for Internationalisation by SMEs 22 2.4Internationalisation Procedures by SMEs 26 2.4.1The U-model 26 2.4.2INVs Framework 27 2.5Conclusion 28 CHAPTER 3: Research Methodology 28 2.6Introduction 28 2.7Types of Research 29 2.7.1Qualitative Methodology 29 2.7.2Case Study Research 30 2.7.3Semi-structured Interviews 30 2.8Sources of Data 31 2.9Research Design and Tools 33 2.9.1Construct Validity 33 2.9.2Internal Validity 34 2.9.3External Validity 34 2.9.4Reliability 36 2.10Conclusion 39 3.CHAPTER 4: Findings and Results 39 3.1Introduction 39 3.2Summary of Data 40 3.3Company Backgrounds 40 3.3.1Company A 40 3.3.2Company B 41 3.3.3Company C 42 3.3.4Company D 43 3.4Within Case Analysis 44 3.4.1Company A 45 3.4.2Company B 47 3.4.3Company C 48 3.4.4Company D 49 3.5Cross Case Analysis 50 3.5.1Motives for Internationalisation 50 3.5.2Factors Leading to Internationalisation 51 3.5.3Intensity of Internationalisation 52 3.5.4Resource Base Orientation 52 3.5.5Mechanism of Red ucing Uncertainty 53 3.6Propositions 53 3.7Conclusion 55 4.CHAPTER 5: Conclusion 55 4.1Introduction 55 4.2Conclusions 56 5.CHAPTER 6: Recommendations, Limitations and Scope for Future Study 58 5.1Introduction 58 5.2Limitations and Recommendations 58 5.3Future Scope of the Study 59 References 61 Bibliography 67 Appendices 68 Appendix – 1 (Interview Schedule) 68 1. CHAPTER 1: Introduction There has been an extensive study on the internationalisation process followed by different organisations worldwide. However, the internationalisation process followed by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) has not received such extensive attention in the 21st century (Forsman, Hinttu, & Kock, n.d.). Market globalization also has a significant impact on these SMEs (Asiedu, & Freeman, 2006, p.2). With

If Dory Had Gone Against Marias Wishes Essay Example for Free

If Dory Had Gone Against Marias Wishes Essay Jack would respond in the affirmative and then, according to Dory, the â€Å"bed would squeak†. Emma wanted to believe that she was living in a fairy-tale and she so she did, refusing to let anyone tell her otherwise. Mrs. Robinson tried to tell Emma that her husband was being unfaithful, and Emma refused to believe. Though Emma had all right not to believe Mrs. Robinson, the fact still remained that Mrs. Robinson was unable to convince Emma of Jack’s infidelity. If Mrs. Robinson could not convince Emma that all was not right in her relationship with her husband, how would Dory, an eight year old girl who did not fully understand the workings of the adult world, be able to convince Emma that Jack was being unfaithful. Emma would have told Dory that she did not understand what she was talking about, and demand to know where she had received her information. When Dory had revealed her source, which she undoubtedly would because of her love for Emma and need to please her, Emma would no doubt have confronted Mrs. Robinson. That confrontation would only have put the altercation between Emma and Mrs. Robinson at a different setting. Emma would still have refused to believe that she was not the only woman in Jack York’s life. Mrs. Robinson would still have set up the â€Å"chance† meeting among Emma, Jack and the lady at the train station. Emma would still have reacted the way she did, and would still have died. It is therefore safe for me to say, that based on my analysis of the short story, Emma, as well as looking at the most likely outcomes for a slight change in the plot of the story, if Dory had told her mother about the lady at the train station, the outcome of the story would have probably been the same.

Singapore Casino :: essays research papers

Casino gambling has been legalised in Singapore. Give economic arguments for and against legalisation. There has been much debate in Singapore both amongst the politicians, religious leaders, senior people in the community, and the lay people at large. It is a hot topic. But, the decision has finally been made, the casino will be built. There are many arguments both for and against building a casino. The government, which is for, cites the economic advantages and everyone who is against cites the social impact the casino will have. Arguments FOR the casino The government’s main argument for the casino is increased revenue leading to a boost in the economy. Currently, Singapore’s revenue comes from high tech electronics manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and finance. These industries are starting to slow. According to Reuters Singapore employment in the manufacturing sector has dropped 9% since 1990. In 2004, 14 per 1,000 were laid off in the manufacturing sector and 8.5 per 1,000 in the services sector. The government’s alternative has been to reverse a 4 decade ban on casino’s to help the Singapore economy. The majority of the focus in the long term is from tourism and the flow on effects of tourism such as hospitality, food, retail, taxi, conventions and aviation. The government fears that a steady decline in tourism is already happening. The Prime Minister in his ministerial statement on April 18 2005 said: â€Å"First, we are losing ground in tourism. Tourism in Asia is growing phenomenally, especially the traffic from China and India. Singapore’s tourist numbers are up too, but we see warning signs of problems ahead. Our market share is declining (from 8% in the Asia Pacific region in 1998 to 6% in 2002). Tourists are spending less time in Singapore. They used to stay an average of about 4 days in 1991, but now they stay only for 3 days. In contrast, on average, they are staying for about 4 days in Hong Kong, 5 days in London and almost a week in New York City. We are losing attractiveness as a tourist destination†. In 2004, Singapore earned US$6 billion from 8.3 million tourists. Tourism currently accounts for 3% of Singapore’s GDP, it needs to be at 7% if it is to be a real growth driver. By 2015, Singapore is aiming at 17 million tourists which alone will bring in US$18 billion. It is predicted that by 2010, Asians will spend $23 billion on gambling, and Singapore wants it share.

Disillusionment in All My Sons by Arthur Miller Essay -- Arthur Miller

Disillusionment in All My Sons by Arthur Miller One of the central themes of All My Sons is the disillusionment of the young, and this theme can be traced through the character Chris, who comes to be disenchanted with his family, society and himself by realizing that none of these is as moral as he once believed. When he finally finds out through questioning his father that his father is, in fact, guilty of knowingly shipping out the cracked cylinder heads, he says to his father â€Å"What the hell are you? You’re not even an animal, no animal kills his own, what are you? What must I do to you? I ought to tear the tongue out of your mouth, what must I do?† This is the point where Chris becomes disillusioned with his family. His father is guilty of doing the crime, and his mother is guilty of hiding the information. Chris now believes that his father is worse than an animal and is disgusted that he has lived with his parents since the crime happened without being aware of it. He sees his parents now as evil people rat her than role models, and feels that if even his parents are capable of such a thing, then society as a whole must be the same or worse, because he tells his father that he once believed him to be better than most men. He says â€Å"That’s the principle; the only one we live by – it just happened to kill a few people this time, that’s all. The world’s that way, how can I take it out on him?† He now believes that everyone in society is only looking out for his or he...

Ebooks & libraries Essay

Ebooks are now becoming more popular in libraries as confirmed by two recent conferences: the Charleston Conference and London Online. This is because library users find it more convenient to use ebooks as compared to printed sources. John Barnes of Cengage announce to the Charleston audience that their users prefer electronic though they still sell more print than electronic reference. In line with this, he believed that libraries have to â€Å"move faster away from print reference† so as to meet the growing demand for ebooks. He also added that the cost per use of the print collection was 5 times greater than the electronic collection. The demand for e-reference books, including dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and handbooks, continued to rise since it had been included in library systems. In view of this, the presenters showed some issues that were to be addressed, particularly monitoring the usage of scholarly monographs. Peter Shephard of Project COUNTER said that the COUNTER to be installed in many libraries will be of great help in usage reporting. Currently, there are eight libraries that use the system. Ebooks experienced high use despite little promotion. Compared to printed references, ebooks can be more profitable since it can be sold directly to students and libraries. For now, ebook usage are undergoing intensive studies as to how it will work. However, since there are many different types of ebooks, researchers are having a hard time identifying usage patterns. Nevertheless, ebooks are available in libraries for use in research, reference, and more. LIST OF REFERENCES Tenopir, C. (2008). Ebooks Arrive. Library Journal, 133(2):25, January 2

Mares Tail and MacKerel Scales in Weather Folklore

Mare's Tail and MacKerel Scales in Weather Folklore Mackerel scales and mare’s tails make lofty ships carry low sails. If you have no idea what this means, you are not alone. Weather proverbs and folklore are being technologically ousted from our everyday vocabulary. In the past, people looked towards nature for clues to ever-changing weather patterns. The Meaning of the Weather Proverb In the past, people looked at the  weather and related it to something in their lives. For instance, cloud types are often described by their shapes in the sky. The mare’s tails are wispy cirrus clouds while the mackerel scales are small clumpy altocumulus clouds resembling fish scales in the sky. In the days of large sailing ships, this meant a storm would be approaching soon and the sails should be lowered to protect from the accompanying high winds. How Has Technology Changed Weather Folklore? Today, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the Dial-A-Buoy program. Part of the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) the program is designed to give sailors advanced meteorological and oceanographic data. A sailor can literally call for data from a series of buoys all around the world. Dial-A-Buoy will give anyone wind speed and direction, wave height, dew point, visibility, and temperature are updated hourly and available for analysis. With access by phone or the Internet, the relay center at the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi generates a computer voice which will report the current information. With over a million hits a month and countless calls to the center, the NDBC is changing how we use weather information. Need to know the weather? Forget mackerel scales! Todays folklore is all about innovation. Are Mackerel Scales and Mares Tails Good Predictors of Approaching Storms? In short, yes. The cloud systems that develop prior to a storm will often appear clumpy and wispy like a fish scale or horsetail!

How to Create Setting in Fiction

How to Create Setting in Fiction At the mention of setting, the novice writer may think that it’s just a minor detail. Just mention where the story is taking place and the time and be done with it. Wrong. The setting can make or break a story. If you don’t keep the reader grounded as to where the characters are, the time of day and their surroundings, you’ll lose that reader before they’re finished with the first chapter. It’s not enough to have compelling characters acting out some fascinating story. The reader needs to know where, when and how in order to truly get involved in the story line. The first thing in creating a story is to establish where it’s taking place. By that I don’t mean a statement that the characters are in Miami, Florida. That’s not going to hold a reader. You have to know Miami. Know its streets, the way it smells, sounds and how hot, cold or humid it is. Describe the buildings and the streets. Show how the foliage is there. Place the reader there and make them feel as if they know the place intimately. Show them how it feels to breathe in the heat and humidity. How it feels to dress for work in the morning and have your silk blouse immediately wilt and stick to your body from the humidity. How they deal with the traffic down there. Is it set in a seedy neighborhood or an affluent subdivision? Description of the location lends itself to the impression of the story. As soon as you mention a ghetto-like area, the reader automatically assumes something bad is going to happen. The more details you include, the more the reader is goin g to identify with your setting. A timeline is important so that the reader understands when this is all taking place. You can’t just start the action and expect the reader to know what time of day or year it is unless you let them know. If it’s historical then you’ll need to show details of that period of time, which means research. It’s just as important to show current time. Don’t assume the reader knows, show them. Show the time of day also, nighttime suggests caution while daylight implies freedom. By using time as well as location, you can create a sense of where the story is going. Remember not to allow your description of the setting to read like a brochure. You’re going to lose your reader when they’re forced to read where and when the story is taking place in a narrative paragraph. A skillful writer shows the setting by including it in the natural pace of the storytelling. He’ll describe location through his character’s thoughts. Include it in a dialogue between characters. Show it during action. Details about the setting should never be obvious. It should be interwoven into the story in such an inconspicuous way that the reader knows details of where, when and how without ever being conscious of being told so. This may seem minor but when creating effective setting, you must know what you are talking about. As soon as the reader detects something incorrect or out of place, they’re going to put that book down. For example, showing Miami with a snowstorm in the winter will definitely jolt a reader to reality and force him to reconsider reading any more by a writer who obviously doesn’t know where Miami is located and the fact that snow just doesn’t happen there. Write about something you are familiar with or else be prepared to do research to get accurate facts into the story. The setting is just as important as the creation of characters and dialogue. A good writer will devote just as much care and attention to setting as to the rest of the story.

Casualty Figure Chart for World War 1

Casualty Figure Chart for World War 1 Despite intensive research by historians, there is no- and there will never be- a definitive list of the casualties inflicted during World War I. Where detailed record-keeping was attempted, the demands of battle undermined it. The destructive nature of the war, a conflict where soldiers could be wholly obliterated or instantly buried, destroyed both the records themselves and the memories of those who knew the fates of their comrades. Estimating the Numbers For many countries, the estimated figures only vary within the hundreds, even tens, of thousands, but those of others- particularly France- can be over a million apart. Consequently, the numbers given here have been rounded to the nearest thousand (Japan is an exception, given the low number). The figures in this, and almost every other list, will differ; however, the proportions should remain similar and it is these (represented here as percentages) which allow the greatest insight. In addition, there is no convention as to whether the dead and wounded of the British Empire are listed under this umbrella title or by individual nation (and there is certainly no convention for those regions which have since divided).   How People Died Many people expect the deaths and wounds of World War I to have come from bullets, as soldiers were engaged in combat: charges into no mans land, struggles over trenches, etc. However, while bullets certainly killed a lot of people, it was aerial artillery which killed the most. This death from the skies could bury people or just blow a limb off, and the repeated hammerings of millions of shells induced illness even when the shrapnel didnt hit. This devastating killer, which could kill you while you were on your own territory away from enemy troops, was supplemented by new weapons: humanity lived up to its horrible reputation by deciding that new methods of killing ​were needed, and poison gas was introduced on both western and eastern fronts. This didnt kill as many people as you might think, given the way we remember it, but those it did kill died a painful and hideous death. Some say that the First World Wars death toll is used today as an emotional weapon used to cast the conflict in overwhelmingly negative terms, part of the modern revisionism on the war, which may be a completely dishonest way to portray the conflict. One look at the list below, with millions dead, over a war for imperial control, is telling evidence. The vast and scarring psychological effects of those who were wounded, or those who bore no physical wounds (and dont appear in the list below), yet suffered emotional wounds, must also be born in mind when you consider the human cost of this conflict. A generation was damaged. Notes on Countries With regards to Africa, the figure of 55,000 refers to soldiers who saw combat; the number of Africans involved as auxiliaries or otherwise is likely to include several hundred thousand. Troops were drawn from Nigeria, Gambia, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Nyasaland/Malawi, Kenya, and the Gold Coast. Figures for South Africa are given separately. In the Caribbean, the British West Indies regiment drew men from across the region, including Barbados, Bahamas, Honduras, Grenada, Guyana, Leeward Islands, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago; the bulk came from Jamaica. The figures are cited from The Longman Companion to the First World War (Colin Nicholson, Longman 2001, pg. 248); they have been rounded to the nearest thousand. All percentages are my own; they refer to the % of the total mobilized. Casualties of World War I Country Mobilized Killed Wounded Total K and W Casualties Africa 55,000 10,000 unknown unknown - Australia 330,000 59,000 152,000 211,000 64% Austria-Hungary 6,500,000 1,200,000 3,620,000 4,820,000 74% Belgium 207,000 13,000 44,000 57,000 28% Bulgaria 400,000 101,000 153,000 254,000 64% Canada 620,000 67,000 173,000 241,000 39% The Caribbean 21,000 1,000 3,000 4,000 19% French Empire 7,500,000 1,385,000 4,266,000 5,651,000 75% Germany 11,000,000 1,718,000 4,234,000 5,952,000 54% Great Britain 5,397,000 703,000 1,663,000 2,367,000 44% Greece 230,000 5,000 21,000 26,000 11% India 1,500,000 43,000 65,000 108,000 7% Italy 5,500,000 460,000 947,000 1,407,000 26% Japan 800,000 250 1,000 1,250 0.2% Montenegro 50,000 3,000 10,000 13,000 26% New Zealand 110,000 18,000 55,000 73,000 66% Portugal 100,000 7,000 15,000 22,000 22% Romania 750,000 200,000 120,000 320,000 43% Russia 12,000,000 1,700,000 4,950,000 6,650,000 55% Serbia 707,000 128,000 133,000 261,000 37% South Africa 149,000 7,000 12,000 19,000 13% Turkey 1,600,000 336,000 400,000 736,000 46% USA 4,272,500 117,000 204,000 321,000 8% Sources and Further Reading Broadberry, Stephen and Mark Harrison (eds). The Economics of World War I. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.Offer, Avner. The First World War: An Agrarian Interpretation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.Hall, George J. Exchange Rates and Casualties During the First World War. Journal of Monetary Economics 51.8 (2004): 1711–42. Print.Hoeffler D. F., and L. J. Melton. Changes in the distribution of navy and marine corps casualties from World War I through the Vietnam conflict. Military Medicine 146.11 (1981). 776–779.  Keegan, John. The First World War. New York: Vintage Books, 1998.Nicholson, Colin. The Longman Companion to the First World War: Europe 1914–1918. Routledge, 2014.  Winter, J. M. Britains ‘Lost Generation’ of the First World War. Population Studies 31.3 (1977): 449–66. Print.

Marketing Plan for Chic Nails, Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing Plan for Chic Nails, Inc - Essay Example This nail polish is temperature-sensitive and has chemical components that react with heat and cold, resulting in identified colors: black means tense; gray means nervous; amber means mixed emotions; green means envious; blue-green means somewhat relaxed; blue means at ease; dark blue means very happy; white means frustrated; bronze means restless; pink means uncertain; yellow means imaginative; orange means optimistic; red means angry & purple means clarity. Chic Nails, Inc. distributes its products through its main branch and through varied retail outlets within Rome and Italy. It targets to penetrate international market within two years from the date of commercial launch in Italy. Rome’s population is predominantly female, the majority of which belongs to the 40 to 64 and 25 to 39 age brackets (Population Demographics in Rome GA. 2008). These women are Chic Nail Inc.’s target population, including the younger ones belonging to the 13 to 18 age bracket. The following are the characteristics of the target market: Chic Nails, Inc. is a start-up company that manufactures and distributes nail care products. It offers the standard line of nail polish hues, offering a total of 85 different colors in the market. However, its flagship product is the Mood Swings Collection, a nail polish type that is actually clear in color, but changes alongside the owner’s moods. This is done thru the incorporation of certain chemicals into the lacquer, which makes it sensitive to the temperature of the person wearing it. There is a particular color assignment to every â€Å"mood†, which in turn, corresponds to a temperature degree, usually signifying a change in the owner’s moods. The Mood Swings collection is a relatively new product of its kind. Due to the new mix in the chemical components of the product, the production cost is also relatively much higher than the standard collection, thus making it also priced higher than the rest of the competitors in the market.

ORGANISATION AND BEHAVIOURS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

ORGANISATION AND BEHAVIOURS - Essay Example There are different types of organisational structure, however the three main types are: (1) Functional / Market; (2) Product and Market; and (3) Matrix. The functional/market type of organisational structure is basically categorised under the traditional style of management (Droege 2011). Per definition, it is a kind of structure wherein people are arranged according to the role they perform in the organisation (Brooks 2003). This type of structure is highly hierarchical and bureaucratic because distinctly classifying and separating the job from one to another creates a kind of structure that can be described as top-down authority management. In a functional organisational structure, people are arranged in departments which operate based on certain rules, policies, and standard operating process. Order and discipline are highly valued in this kind of organisation which normally results to a reporting system that usually follows a strictly entwined chain-of-command. However, the grow ing competition that exists in the business arena compels most organisations to expand and adjust to the changing needs of the business. With this circumstance, the purpose of the functional/market structure does not do companies any more justice as this kind of structure usually works well in small scale organisations. Hence, another organisational structure comes into operation and this is the product and market structure. Unlike the functional structure, product and market structure is more diversified and enhanced in terms of providing a quality and speedy decision-making (Droege 2011). Decision-making becomes more efficient and prompt in this organisational structure because the people who work within a certain product, customer, or geographic location are grouped together based on their capabilities, knowledge, and expertise. Compared to the functional structure, the product and market structure does not follow a strict top-down system of reporting, thus lessens pressure and i ncreases work performance. However, one major problem with product and market organisational structure, which is minimised in the functional structure, is that the interest of a particular group can be put ahead of the goals of the entire organisation. Another problem here, which is also not an issue with functional structure, is the fact that creating different groups for different products, costumers, or locations can possibly lead to unnecessary expenses due to duplication of resources. The matrix organisational structure, on the other hand, is perceived to be the most effective kind of management system, specifically for large organisations (Droege 2011). It is basically the combination of the functional and product, or more structures. The matrix structure considers what the organisation requires in order to get the best of both worlds. Unlike the first two structures, the matrix is considered to be the most intricate organisational structure but most effective if properly pull ed off. Not like the product and market structure wherein duplication of resources is an issue, a matrix structure can facilitate sharing of highly specialised employees and equipment. For instance, an employee who is an expert in a particular field can divide his/her time between one project and another. Also, because of this

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Final Exam - Essay Example The second speech talks intensively about the second largest wide celebrated international football, The Asian Cup. It explains the onset of the Asian Cup and their frequency of holding their sporting activities that happens every two years. The main aim of the speech is to address the soccer audience who are mainly the fans and the organisers of the Asian Cup football the benefit of holding their games at different times with the FIFA World Cup organisers. This in their view attracts more countries to take part in the competition thereby enhancing the football. This is noted as over the years, the number of countries participating in The Asian Cup competition increases. The strategy used in the speech is descriptive in nature. This is because the speaker clearly describes the origin of The Asian Cup competition, its expansion and the present stage and status of the competition as a unifying factor of many Asian countries which had been at wars with each other (King Lee 2004). The third speech focuses on the Asian Football Confederation, comparing its strength with other soccer confederation of the world. The speaker here illustrates the necessary requirements of taking part in the AFC Champions league tournaments. The main objective of the speech is to give clarity on the importance and position of the AFC Champions league in the world football. This is evident from the speech when he notes that the qualifiers in the AFC Champions league take part in the FIFA World Cup competitions, which is the worldwide celebrated football. The strategy employed in this speech that helps achieve the speakers objective is explanatory mode of speech delivery. This is noted in the way the speaker explains the necessity of participating in the AFC Champions League (King Lee 2004). The fourth speech clearly illustrates the challenges facing

A Catholic Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Catholic Life - Essay Example This can be considered as heady years when anything was deemed possible. His schooling was marked by periods of hardship and deprivation. This was clearly in his case a time of intense personal trials as he went to college as a working student to support his studies. There was a time he suffered some form of bullying by his richer classmates and they made fun of his â€Å"nice clothes† which greatly embarrassed him. While still a small boy, he had a different concept of God who is strict and very demanding in terms of penance. But he had taken comfort that he belonged to the most important royal family – that of the Catholics (Wilkes 21). He even aspired to sainthood in the innocence of his childhood (ibid. 23). His high school years saw him earn decent grades since he seemed to have the gifts of an intellectual who can breeze through school without much effort. His faith in his religion is not to be tested yet since he lived sort of a secure life, surrounded by the fam iliar and not yet exposed to the outside world in which new and even rebellious ideas are in ferment. Changes started to occur in his personal life and consequently in his views and outlook in life during the time he started his college days. It was a period of great financial difficulties. Catholicism as a religion emphasizes both suffering and deprivation as a noble act (ibid. 26) and further ingrained with a dictum of living a life for others. Whether intentional or not, this constant barrage of feeling guilty ends up making some people a bit neurotic as in the case of Paul Wilkes. Despite his professional success, his search for God soon brought him to the extreme decision to follow the way of Christ and abandon all his material belongings. Paul’s... A Catholic Life Every person goes through life's incredible journey in his or her own unique ways. It is sometimes called in religious philosophy as the â€Å"process of becoming† for which nobody can know how the end will come about. No one can likewise anticipate the high and low points in this journey of a lifetime. This was what the author Paul Wilkes underwent during challenging times in his life and career. Every person also feels a bit empty, at some point in their lives. In his case, Mr. Wilkes suffered what is called a mid-life crisis so early in his married life when he was still in his mid-thirties, when other people suffer the same crisis at a much later age. A person is shaped by both his environment and by his basic temperament. Mr. Wilkes can be considered as just like any other person, an average person with the usual dreams and ambitions in life. What was a bit different about him was his tenacity in the face of adversity. This was amply demonstrated in his being the runt of the litter, growing up in a poor home, a constant struggle while in school (from elementary up to his college days) and achieved some measure of professional success. If we really contemplate on the real purpose of life, either we go off the edge or end up finding something really meaningful. Some call this process as a catharsis or a conversion, or as an epiphany of sorts like what Saul of Tarsius experienced while he was on his way.

John McCain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John McCain - Essay Example Citizens traditionally invest their trust in leaders whom they perceive representing society's ethical principles. Without ethos, leaders have little chance of uniting society for the advancement of their causes. The ideal leader is able to persuade his constituents with both logically and emotionally appealing arguments. For this reason, logos and pathos are critical components of a successful leader's character. While good leaders might excel in either ethos, pathos or logos, truly great leaders incorporate all of these aspects into their characters. Both Pericles and John McCain are able to do this by continuously seeking to mitigate their shortcomings while developing their attributes. Both are known for having lived their lives according to the principles they espouse, giving them much credibility. McCain displays superior ethos when referring to the war in Iraq because he has the military experience to back up his words. While other candidates may pay lip service to the same matters, McCain has an educated opinion derived from twenty-two years in the military. McCain, like Pericles, displays his superior ethics through both his convictions and his actions. Pericles firmly believed that rights and privileges entail responsibilities and obligations. McCain draws similar conclusions, championing individual responsibility at all levels. "For all the grandiose promises made in this campaign, has any candidate spoken honestly to the American people about the government's role and failings about individual responsibilities" he said. (McCain on CNN, 2007) McCain believes that the government has a responsibility to the people, but in turn the people have a duty to participate in the politics and defense of their country. As McCain said during a 1958 speech at the U.S. Naval Academy, "If you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you are disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them." Indeed, political participation and service to state and society are the responsibility and obligation of every American citizen (Dinan, 2008). Pericles was known throughout the ancient Greek city-states for the emotional strength of his arguments. Pericles motivated the Athenians during the Peloponnesian War in a similar way to how McCain inspires Americans during the troubled times of today. McCain realizes that logical arguments based upon facts, figures and reasons are not enough to move society. Thus, he makes extensive use of emotionally appealing arguments, demonstrating his impeccable pathos. While advocating the benefits of national service programs, McCain keeps data out of the picture. Rather, he utilizes sentimental yet strong verbiage to illustrate his points, such as "those who claim their liberty but not their duty to the civilization that ensures it live a half-life, indulging their self-interest at the cost of their self-respect. Sacrifice for a cause greater than self-interest, however, and you invest your life with the eminence of that cause (McCain, 2001)." I look to a great leader for inspiration and motivation. This great leader must necessarily match Pericles' embodiment of ethos, logos and pathos. McCain's ethical convictions and credibility; logical and reasoning ability; and emotionally appealing arguments, make him a modern day Pericles and I admire him for

A Catholic Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Catholic Life - Essay Example This can be considered as heady years when anything was deemed possible. His schooling was marked by periods of hardship and deprivation. This was clearly in his case a time of intense personal trials as he went to college as a working student to support his studies. There was a time he suffered some form of bullying by his richer classmates and they made fun of his â€Å"nice clothes† which greatly embarrassed him. While still a small boy, he had a different concept of God who is strict and very demanding in terms of penance. But he had taken comfort that he belonged to the most important royal family – that of the Catholics (Wilkes 21). He even aspired to sainthood in the innocence of his childhood (ibid. 23). His high school years saw him earn decent grades since he seemed to have the gifts of an intellectual who can breeze through school without much effort. His faith in his religion is not to be tested yet since he lived sort of a secure life, surrounded by the fam iliar and not yet exposed to the outside world in which new and even rebellious ideas are in ferment. Changes started to occur in his personal life and consequently in his views and outlook in life during the time he started his college days. It was a period of great financial difficulties. Catholicism as a religion emphasizes both suffering and deprivation as a noble act (ibid. 26) and further ingrained with a dictum of living a life for others. Whether intentional or not, this constant barrage of feeling guilty ends up making some people a bit neurotic as in the case of Paul Wilkes. Despite his professional success, his search for God soon brought him to the extreme decision to follow the way of Christ and abandon all his material belongings. Paul’s... A Catholic Life Every person goes through life's incredible journey in his or her own unique ways. It is sometimes called in religious philosophy as the â€Å"process of becoming† for which nobody can know how the end will come about. No one can likewise anticipate the high and low points in this journey of a lifetime. This was what the author Paul Wilkes underwent during challenging times in his life and career. Every person also feels a bit empty, at some point in their lives. In his case, Mr. Wilkes suffered what is called a mid-life crisis so early in his married life when he was still in his mid-thirties, when other people suffer the same crisis at a much later age. A person is shaped by both his environment and by his basic temperament. Mr. Wilkes can be considered as just like any other person, an average person with the usual dreams and ambitions in life. What was a bit different about him was his tenacity in the face of adversity. This was amply demonstrated in his being the runt of the litter, growing up in a poor home, a constant struggle while in school (from elementary up to his college days) and achieved some measure of professional success. If we really contemplate on the real purpose of life, either we go off the edge or end up finding something really meaningful. Some call this process as a catharsis or a conversion, or as an epiphany of sorts like what Saul of Tarsius experienced while he was on his way.

Best account of the relation of self and society (social and self) Essay

Best account of the relation of self and society (social and self) - Essay Example Liberals, it is supposed, stand for a framework that allows individuals to choose their ends, or goals; and communitarians, oppositely, stand for a public choice of ends and goals for individuals as part of the society. Thomas Nagel’s normative language might be considered, as he words it, â€Å"cultural liberalism† (23), and therefore values the intellectual ventilation known as pluralism, which accepts a multitude of truths and ideas. Michael Sandel represents a classical communitarianism that treats civic virtue, and the republic, as the most worthy publically chosen end, and bases this on a theory of the â€Å"boundaries to obligation†. Marilyn Friedman, on the other hand, explicates and defends a â€Å"redirection† in communitarian thought toward a more congenial relationship between self and community from the feminist perspective. As different as these articles may seem from one another at first glance, the connections between them can be read in detail between the lines. One of Nagel’s points in his piece is the control over the public sphere that envelops the cultural and ideological environments in which young people are raised; forty years ago, he claims, the â€Å"public pieties were patriotic and anticommunist; now they are multicultural and feminist† (Nagel 24). On this point, and from a feminist perspective, Friedman goes on to develop the communitarian thought of Sandel, but in a way that shifts away from gender subordination characteristic of what shall be called â€Å"classical communitarianism† that stresses the Hellenistic notion of civic virtue. Sandel clearly sees a connection between the good of a society and the concept of a social purpose like that found in the writings of Aristotle on civic virtue. These intellectual conflicts between liberalism and communitarianism, wi th feminism in between, clearly demonstrate the normative problem of political theory, where

Describe How Bacteria Decode Its Genetic Information to Produce Proteins Essay Example for Free

Describe How Bacteria Decode Its Genetic Information to Produce Proteins Essay Bacteria belongs to a group of organism that lacks cell nucleus and membrane bound organells. This group of organisms are termed as prokaryotes. Prokaryotes follows the central dogma of molecular biology first proposed by Francis Crick in 1958 to synthesize proteins from mRNA through a process called translation and the mRNA is being synthesized from the DNA by another process called Transcription. Temperature, nutrient availibity are some key factors that start the process of synthesizing proteins in response to these key factors. Example. This paper will provide an explanation as to how bacteria decode the genetic information to produce proteins. Transription generates 3 kinds of RNA. Transfer RNA(tRNA) carries amino acid during protein synthesis, ribosomal RNA molecules come together to form ribosomes while mRNA bears the message for protein synthesis. In bacteria, mRNA often carries coding information of more than 1 gene therefore it is said to be polycistronic (DIAGRAM). MRNA is synthesized under the direction of DNA by RNA polymerase. This polymerase in its core enzyme form has 5 subunits. A 6th subunit called the Sigma factor helps the core enzyme to recognise and bind to the promoter regions which are often found at -35 basepair and -10 basepair(also called Pribnow box) upstream of the transcription site. Upon binding, RNA polymerase unwinds the helical DNA and this open region becomes a open complex. There is a reason as to why the -10bp site is chosen. The hydrogen bonds between the nucleotides in the Pribnow box are weak and easily broken, forming the open complex. RNA polymerase progresses along the DNA unwound DNA strand and starts to synthesize mRNA in the 5` to 3` direction. MRNA synthesized is thus complementary and anti parallel to the template DNA. Termination of transcription require a terminator. There are two kinds of terminator, rho-independent terminator which refers to a nucleotide sequence that when transcribed into RNA, forms hydrogen bonds within the single-strande RNA, this intrastrand bonds creates a hairpin-shape loop and causes RNA polymerase to stop transcribing and dissociate from the template strand. Another terminator depend on a protein called the rho factor which causes RNA polymerase to dissociate from the mRNA. Its exact mechanism remains unclear. With the mRNA synthesized by the RNA polymerase using DNA of the bacteria as template, the mRNA are translated to amino acids which are linked covalently to form a polypeptide. Translation begins when a ribosomes binds to mRNA and tRNA molecules carry the amino acid correspending to the codons dictate by the mRNA to the ribosome so that the amino acid can be added to the polypeptide chain as the ribosome moves down the mRNA strand. Translation initiated by formation of initiation complex consisting of 30s and 50 sribosomal subunits, Formyl-methionyl tRNA and the mRNA. Proteins called intitial factors are also required to form the complex. The two ribosomal subunits that come together to for, the complex are commonly refer to as the 70s ribosome. This 70s ribosome has two sites in which tRNA carrying amino acids can bind to. One is called the P site and A site. There is also an E site where tRNA are released. The initiating transfer t RNA carrying formylmethionyl binds to the P site, a tRNA that recognises the next codon ann carries the second amino acid moves in to the A site. The formylmethionie carried by the tRNA in the P site is then joined to the amino acid carried by the tRNA that just entered the A site by a peptide bonds. The ribosome then advance a distance of 1 codon. The tRNA that carries the formylmethionie is released at the E site. A tRNA carrying the next amino acid now moves in through the A site where the anti codon matches the codon of the mRNA. The ribosome shift down a distance of 1 codon, the 2 amino acid on the tRNA in the P site are transferred to the new amino acid and the 2nd tRNA is released at the E site. This cycle is repeated. Elongation is terminated by a stop codon. Stop codon do not code for any amino acid.

Literature review on Critical and Reflective learning

Literature review on Critical and Reflective learning The following literature review will focus on the concept of critical and reflective learning. Critical and reflective learning is used the world over in various academic institutions and in professional practice. Firstly it would be imperative that critical reflection is defined. Following on from this a discussion shall take place around the various frameworks and theories offered by various theorists on the subject. Finally a critical review of the underlying thinking which underlies much of the policy making process in Ireland will be undertaking. There are various definitions used to explain the process of critical reflection. At a very basic level, critical reflection (CR) occurs when and individual questions either their own ideas or the ideas of another. However as Van Woerkom (2010) suggests there are many different schools of thought on what is involved in the critical reflection process. For example the ideological form of critical reflection would focus on challenging and questioning dominant or unjust ideologies. The psychoanalytical school of CR is focused more on the individual and involves the reframing of personal issues or problems. The analytical model of CR is the process of mentally analysing arguments in the hope of guiding ones beliefs or actions. Finally the pragmatist constructivism school of CR relates to the evaluation of various forms of information in an attempt to provide a solution, while at the same time recognising that the solution itself is open to further questioning (Van Woerkom, 2010). What se ems obvious from these definitions is the fact that the questioning and reflection of a perceived reality at both a societal and personal level are fundamental in each process. Furthermore it seems apparent that the issues that each school is addressing can all impact upon one another. For instance it could be argued that the psychological wellbeing of an individual could be greatly influenced by the dominant ideology within a society. Addressing only the psychological issues with the psychoanalytical approach may prove fruitless, if societal influences causing psychological distress are not addressed. Various theorists have dissected the critical reflection process on a much deeper level. Dewey in ((1933, in Boud et al,1994)suggests that reflection is the process of an individual recapturing their experience, thinking about it and assessing it. He believed that reflection was initiated by an inner uneasiness caused by an individual becoming disillusioned with their current reality. Reflection may also be instigated by a positive experience. The individual may wish to learn what worked in the positive experience, in order to repeat the behaviour that brought about the positive experience. Deweys main focus was centred on the notion that reflection is a highly rational exercise which is based in an evidence based approach which focused on skills and attitudes. However as various authors suggest Deweys focus on skills and attitudes is limited and fails to allow for the affective (emotional) element involved in the learning process ( Boud et al, 1994, Rawson, 2000). Another limiting aspect of Deweys theory was the presumption that one would first have to make a mistake in order to learn from it. Kolb Fry (1975) believed that for effective learning to occur the learner would have to complete a cycle of learning, broken down into four stages: Concrete experience, observation and reflection, forming abstract concepts, testing them in new situations. In essence, an individual begins the learning process by becoming involved in a new experience, which they then reflect upon internally in order to make sense of the experience. The individual then hypothesises about different theories and then applies such theories in new situations. It should be noted that an individual may start in any stage and switch between these stages. And many learners may only use two of the stages, depending upon their learning style (Kolb Fry 1975 ). Donald Schon (1995) has built upon Deweys concept by introducing the idea of double looped learning. He suggested that the majority of learning in everyday life occurred at a level where individuals used previous held values and assumptions to inform their present action (single looped learning). However Double Looped learning involves a deeper level of reflection where individuals question these values and assumptions and subject them to critical investigation. . Agryis (1999) uses an analogy of how a thermostat responds to room temperature by turning on the heat if the room gets to cold and turning it off when it gets to warm. The thermostat responds by receiving signals from the room temperature. He contended that this equated to a human being receiving positive or negative signals about their actions and then changing their actions (Single loop learning). Going back to the thermostat analogy, double looped learning would ask the question, why the room got too hot or cold in the f irst place. The same goes for human beings when they question the underlying assumptions which informed their actions in the first place. Such learning is not limited to the individual and such learning could be applied to organisations and society (Agryis, 1999), However as Rawson (2000) suggests, many institutions seem to treat intellect as absolute and dont allow for the questioning necessary in the critical reflection process. He goes on to suggest that society works on a basis of having power over, rather than power with. He believed that such an approach was evident in many educational institutions. He advocates the notion of learning to learn where the relevance of various aspects of knowledge continued to be questioned and challenged. Rawson argues that knowledge is not a final product and contends that the meaning and understanding process is more important than the end product. His analysis is closely linked with the teachings of Paulo Friere. Frieres (1998) CR theory was rooted firmly in the ideological school of thought. He believed the educational system served to reproduce the status quo which was influenced by the dominant ideological discourse. He was of the opinion that educators should challenge the status quo through challenging students to question the dominant discourse, which he believed served to reproduce inequalities. He stressed the importance of dialogue within the education system, as he believed without dialogue; true education could not take place. Hooks (1994) captures the notion of education without dialogue when she speaks of her experience as an undergraduate and graduate student. She suggests that the majority of lecturers used the classroom as an avenue to exert their view of the world upon students. Friere (1998) did not advocate a non directive approach to education, however he did stress it should be the process and not the student that should be directed. Friere (1998) recognised that each stu dent had their own unique life experience and contended that the students experience was invaluable in the learning experience. Very basically Friere (1998) was of the opinion that education was more about enabling students to question and challenge the commonly held knowledge within society. Meizrow (1994) also spoke about reflection in terms of transformation. Mezirow (1994) described reflective learning as a process in which the learner has to consider or reconsider certain assumptions they may hold about themselves or the world. He argued that the most effective reflection occurred when the learner discovers their assumptions to be in some way weakened. It causes the learner to look at reasons why their assumptions have caused them to reach decisions or to react in a certain way and to maybe re-evaluate their assumptions. He explained that when the learner accepts that their past assumptions may have been incorrect they have created a transformative space and within that space they can be open to engaging in new-found knowledge. This, he believes, can lead to a deeper level of reflective practice. As mentioned earlier emotions can play an important part in such a process Boud et al (1994) suggest that past experiences can greatly determine an individuals ability to learn in new situations. If learning was only centred in the transfer of knowledge from one individual to another, learning would be a smooth occurrence and each individual would take in knowledge with minimal difficulty. However emotions such as anxiety can cause difficulties for those who are participating in new learning experiences. The majority of individuals will experience anxieties when faced with new learning. However for some the anxiety can be overwhelming and deeply affect the learning process. So how individuals learn is greatly influenced by emotion (Boud et al, 1994). In conclusion it can be seen that there are many areas of both personal and societal life which could benefit from the process of critical reflection. The whole notion of learning to learn seems to be an approach which encourages independent and self-directed learning. While there are many schools of thought on the process of CR, they all seem be directed at questioning the underlying assumptions and discourses which inform both individual and societal actions. It seems obvious from the various readings that critical reflection is often frowned upon as something which upsets the status quo of organisations. Reflection The subject that I have chosen to reflect on is how the Irish society continues to apply past solutions to present problems. If we look to the recent recession it is clear that the Irish government continue to take the approach of promoting competition and neo liberal policies as a solution to the current economic conditions. As Coulter Coleman (2003) argue the dominant discourse in Irish society suggests that  the economy is the mechanism which will bring about the greatest good for everyone concerned.  Ã‚   They contend that such a discourse is constructed by everyone within society.   Some discourses are so dominant that they almost seem to be natural and many fail to question them.   If we look to the Celtic Tiger in Ireland, there were various commentators suggesting that the country was in danger of a serious financial and economic crisis. Back in 2007 Bertie Ahern famously made the remark, that those who were moaning and cribbing about how the economy was being run sh ould commit suicide (Stafford, 2010).   The moaners and cribbers he was referring too were economists who were warning about the economy not being stable and the future crash of the economy.   Even though these economists were correct in their predictions the majority of Irish society sided with Bertie Ahern. As Friere (1998) suggests, the need to question dominant knowledge is a must, however in the Irish case when the dominant knowledge was questioned the individuals were ridiculed.  Ã‚   This fundamental aspect of Irish society needs to change.   Even in the current recession the government continues to suggest that the only way recover from the economic downturn is to remain competitive in the global world.  The dominant thinking involved here is just returning to the dominant thinking of the past which suggests the economy is going to correct all the ills of the country.   Even the EU/IMF bailout underwent very little critical analysis. The same commentators who were warning of the economic crisis during the Celtic Tiger collapse were all suggesting that there were alternatives which could have being taking. However just like the Celtic Tiger era, the government chose to follow a path without considering the long-term consequences. As Storey (2010) argues IMF bailouts in other countries have had disastrous consequences for those countries. By nature these bailouts seem to be extremely undemocratic. For example the IMF (an unelected external body) has a major influence on the development and implementation of national po licy. There was no referendum on this bailout and the general Irish public had very little say on whether or not the bailout was applied for. The presence of undemocratic rule seemed to be evident in Ireland a number of years before the IMF arrived in town. For instance the first referendum on the Lisbon Treaty was rejected by the Irish people, however the Irish government held a second referendum asking the question in a different way. Compared to other countries there was very little protest in relation to the bailout or austerity measures which were been implemented. Even when it was apparent that the government were lying for a number of days in relation to applying for a bailout, there was very little public outcry. While pole ratings suggested that the government were dropping in popularity, the level of protest was minimal. The question has to be asked, why the Irish public are so passive in relation to situations which will have serious consequences for their lives. One expl anation could be the lack of social solidarity. For instance Bauman (2000) argues that in modern society individuals are now defying their identity through the consumption of various goods and products. He argues that this creates a lack of social solidarity and creates a more individualistic society. It could be argued that the Celtic Tiger has created a society of consumers who are only concerned about their own needs. The Celtic Tiger period in Ireland is often seen as a period where individuals and groups were living extravagant and affluent lifestyles. It seems as though individuals in society are now more worried about their own needs and have very little concern for others. This may change once the true impact of the austerity measures hits home for various groups and individuals. It seems very evident from the recent budget that the most vulnerable in society are going to pay the highest price for the mistakes of the elite. It seems apparent that it is the underlying thinking and ideology in Irish society which needs to undergo a critical reflection. Both those in power and society as a whole need to consider what kind of society they want for both themselves and future generations. If the lack of protest in Ireland is anything to go by it seems as though individuals in Irish society have become self-interested and have very little concern for the more vulnerable in society. It may be worth introducing the process of critical reflection at an earlier age in schools in an attempt to create independent thinkers who are capable of challenging dominant discourse at both organisational and political level. However from my own experience of various social care settings and the education system such an ideal does not seem high on the agenda. It may suit those at the top to have a society which follows and does not question. Or it may be, that those at the top do not question their own motives. Either way, if I reland wishes to learn from the mistakes of the past, some form of questioning needs to occur at a societal, governmental and individual level. The recent recession provides a space for such questioning. Whether such questioning materialises at the level suggested in this reflection remains to be seen.

Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- The Lottery Essays

â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson has been criticized, but its longevity and durability prove it stands the test of time. In the article, â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery,† the author A.R. Coulthard finds a deeper meaning in the story which other critics have not. Coulthard believes the story is a â€Å"parable of the evil inherent in human nature† rather than â€Å"an assault on mindless cultural conformity,† as other critics have suggested (Coulthard 226). Coulthard shows how something that most likely began as a primitive and ignorant way to ensure prosperity, evolved into a complete need for sanctioned violence and murder. Coulthard offers valid points to support her argument. Coulthard finds that the actions and demeanor of the villagers are evidence of an underlying enjoyment in the killing. Her analysis shows that the villagers mask their anticipation for the killing under false and thinly veiled social gestures. Coulthard points out the contrast between Mrs. Delacroix and Tessie Hutchinson’s social friendship and how quickly the shallow friendship unravels when Tessie is chosen for the sacrifice. Mrs. Delacroix â€Å"selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands,† which is in stark contrast to how a true friend would behave (Jackson 393). Participation in the lottery causes the villagers to lose the ability to be empathetic and their bonds of family and friendship suffer for it. The lottery encourages them to abandon ties of love and loyalty and tap into the deepest recesses of the darkness that hides in humanity. The lottery does not offer them prosperity, but strips them of all that is good in humanity. The villagers are masked behind the evil that awaits them each year on a sunny day in June. The other 364 da... ...kill too much to mourn inconsequential losses like love, friendship and the bonds of family, community, and humanity. Works Cited Coulthard, A.R. "Jackson's THE LOTTERY." Explicator 48.3 (1990): 226. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. Jackson, Shirley. â€Å"The Lottery† The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 8th ed. Compact. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 387-393. Print. Jackson, Shirley. "The Morning of June 28, 1948, and â€Å"The Lottery† "The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 8th ed. Compact. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 950-952. Print.

Financial Institutions Essay

The best financial institution for the high debt and high income professionals looking to obtain insurance and investment advice and services is a financial planning services company such as Ameriprise Financial. Financial planning looks at life events and life goals such as retirement and estate planning and offers advice and provides products to help meet those goals. Many financial planning services companies also offer loans and deposit banking accounts. Generally one representative who is licensed to sell insurance, investments, and loans will work with this couple throughout their relationship with the company. The representative’s goal is to periodically review changes in life events and modify the couple’s insurance and investment portfolio to meet their changing goals and objectives. For this couple, the representative may suggest a product that combines insurance and investment such as an annuity or universal life insurance. The couple can establish a relationship with a financial services firm in a local branch or through an interactive website maintained by the company. In some cases the bank that they are already established with may have a financial planning division that they can access in the local branch or through the bank website. Scenario B The best financial institution for a student looking to establish a checking or saving account, establish credit, and develop a relationship with a financial institution should consider a credit union. A credit union is similar to a bank in that it offers deposit accounts and loan programs, but differs from banks in that credit unions are non-profit organizations that are owned and operated by members as opposed to being owned by stockholders and operated by executive boards. Credit unions generally offer higher interest rates on savings accounts, lower fees on checking accounts, and lower interest rates on loans and credit cards. Credit union membership is generally tied to an organization such as a labor union, many large corporations have employee credit unions, some churches or communities have credit unions for members. This student can establish a credit union relationship through parents or may become employed in a local business that offers credit union membership as an employee benefit. Organizations like the Credit Union National Association provides resources and information for consumers. Scenario C The best financial institution for a small business owner who needs multiple deposit and checking accounts, investment services, and access to branches in other cities should consider a national bank such as Bank of America that has branches nationwide as well as online account access. Bank of America, and similar national banks, offer online payroll processing, credit card processing for retailers, and provide businesses with the option of importing bank statement information into popular accounting software formats such as Quicken, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Money. National banks have departments dedicated to small business lending and offer various types of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. They also have services to meet the needs of specialty industries including financing and leasing partnerships with auto dealers. The business owner can establish a relationship with a banking professional at a local branch or can establish accounts online. National banks generally have extensive, interactive websites which provide information and guidance on establishing the business banking relationship. References Ameriprise Financial. Financial planning advice and financial advisors. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from http://www. ameriprise. com/default-home . asp Bank of America. Small business loans, payroll services & other small business services. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from https://www. bankofamerica. com/smallbus iness/index. jsp Credit Union National Association, Consumer Info. America’s credit unions: where people are worth more than money. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from http://www. creditunion. coop/what_is_a_ cu. html

Musical Analysis on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest was directed by Gore Verbinski and the music was composed by Hans Zimmer. Hans Zimmer is one of the most sought after film composers. He does an amazing job creating the score for this swashbuckling adventure. The movie begins with the interrupted marriage of William Turner and Elizabeth Swann. The music’s first role in this movie is to reflect emotion. In the opening scene, Elizabeth is kneeling at the altar where her wedding should have taken place. Rain is falling all around her and she is alone. Violins are playing a sad, slow melody. The viewer realizes that something awful has happened. Deeper strings start to play a fast marching beat and a male choir begins to sing. This signifies that the Royal Navy is approaching to arrest Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. Lord Cutler Beckett had ordered the couple to be arrested and sentenced to death for aiding in Captain Jack Sparrow’s escape in the previous movie. Lord Cutler Beckett will only lift the charges in exchange for Jack Sparrow’s compass. William Turner is sent off to find Jack Sparrow. He is reluctant to leave his future bride behind in prison, but it is his only chance to free her. Jack Sparrow is a cursed pirate. He has made a deal with Davy Jones, the captain of the Flying Dutchmen. If Davy Jones would raise the Black Pearl from the bottom of the ocean, Jack Sparrow had thirteen years to captain it. After thirteen years, Jack Sparrow must give Davy Jones his soul. It has been thirteen years, and Davy Jones wants to collect. Davy Jones can only go on land once every ten years, so Jack Sparrow knows that land is the place where he will be safest. He sails his ship to the nearest island. Jack Sparrow has a very comedic leitmotif. He is constantly drunk and his theme is a drunken theme. The music sways and staggers like someone who is intoxicated, and the music has a count of three. The music really adds to the comedy that Jack Sparrow brings to the movie. Strings and a cello are used for this score, and they mimic his actions. This is also referred to as mickey-mousing. A perfect example of mickey-mousing is when Jack Sparrow walks down a flight of stairs and the music goes down the musical scale as he descends. Will needs to find Jack so that he can save Elizabeth and himself from the death sentence. He investigates and follows clues to Jack’s whereabouts until he finally finds Jack Sparrow’s ship uninhabited on an island. Further investigation into the island leads to William being captured by a tribe of cannibals. The good news is that he has found Jack Sparrow. Jack Sparrow is serving as the leader of the cannibals. The bad news is that the cannibals are going to eventually sacrifice Jack Sparrow. After a few escape scenes involving a lot of running, William and Jack Sparrow manage to return to the Black Pearl. The scenes involving the cannibals has music that creates the atmosphere of a cannibal island. Drums are very prominent throughout these scenes, along with humans yelling tribal chants. One scene that does not fit into this trend is a scene where William and the other crew members are trying to escape from a cage that is suspended in the air. The music plays against the action by playing a song one would expect to hear at a carnival during the escape. The music plays against the action, creating comedy for a normally unpleasant situation. After escaping from the cannibals, Jack Sparrow convinces Will Turner to climb aboard the Flying Dutchmen to try and receive the key that he has been searching for. If Will can find the key, Jack will give him the compass. William does not know about the deal that Jack has with Davy, and he does not know what he is getting himself into by boarding the ship. Davy Jones has a crew filled with undead crewmen, and Will is captured. The good thing about Will Turner being captured is the fact that he meets his long lost father, Bill Turner. Bill just happens to be a member of the crew. The music on the Flying Dutchmen is very sinister. The pipe organ is prominent throughout the scenes that involve the ship. A male choir also sings frequently. The beat gives three counts, and it gives the viewer a very uneasy feeling. Random sustained notes are also played with the cello to create a sense of suspense and nervousness. The pipe organ is also sometimes source music while on the ship. Davy Jones frequently plays a menacing looking pipe organ while his crew is slaving on deck. Elizabeth is not the type of girl that will sit around and wait for William to come and save her. Her father breaks her out of prison, and Elizabeth begins searching for Jack Sparrow and his compass. Elizabeth Swann finds her way to a bar in Tortuga, where she meets up with Jack Sparrow. This scene involves implied source music. Although the source of the music being heard on the screen is not seen, the viewer realizes that the music is being played in the bar. The tune is a fast, crazy tune that is played with an accordion and a fiddle. Accordions and fiddles are typical instruments that one would see in this type of saloon. Elizabeth also runs into an old friend at the bar, Commodore Norrington. Norrington wants to kill Jack Sparrow for making him lose his job. This leads to a bar fight. The source music gets louder and crazier during the fight. The fight is very wild and a lot of things are going on at one time. The music helps to add to the outrageous chaos. The special thing about Jack Sparrow’s compass is that it points to the thing that the person holding it wants the most. Jack Sparrow uses it to find the chest that he needs the key to open, even though he does not have the key yet. He arrives on the island where the chest is located and digs it up. Most of the music in this scene involves a fast paced melody played with strings and then short bursts of music from the cello and drums. It is an exciting time in the movie because Jack Sparrow has found the chest, and the music plays off of the excitement. Will Turner shows up at the island with the key that he has stolen from Davy Jones. Inside the chest is Davy Jones’s heart. The pirate legend is that Davy Jones was once in love with a woman. She betrayed him, and he could not tolerate the pain. He cut out his heart and put it in a chest. The only way to kill Davy Jones is to find his heart and stab it. Davy Jones has his own leitmotif. The theme is first introduced when it is being played on a music box that Davy Jones is holding. It continues to play in other scenes where Davy Jones is present. The melody is wishful and sad. A pipe organ is used for the melody. There are three people standing around the chest with three different motives. Jack Sparrow wants to use the chest to bargain with Davy Jones. He will return the chest to Davy, if Davy will release Jack from his debt. William Turner wants the chest so that he can kill Davy Jones, thereby freeing his father from serving on the Flying Dutchmen. Norrington wants to steal the chest and take it back to Lord Cutler Beckett. Lord Cutler Beckett would then grant Norrington full clemency. The three begin sword fighting over the chest, and Davy Jones’s crew arrives to steal the chest for Davy Jones. Elizabeth, Jack Sparrow, and Commodore Norrington are forced to work together to fight off Davy Jones’s men. Elizabeth joins in the fight as well. There is a lot of mickey-mousing in these scenes. The music starts when Jack pulls out his sword and points it at Will. It then quiets down and plays faintly in the background. When Will pulls out Elizabeth’s sword on Jack, the music suddenly gets louder. A note is then held out as it fades. When Norrington pulls his sword out, the music suddenly gets louder again. Then all three of the guys have their swords pointed at each other. The music flows underneath the dialogue and adds to the suspense. When the pirates start their sword fight, the music picks up and gets louder. It has a very adventurous feel to it. There is a continuous melody with short bursts of music also playing. The instruments used are a full orchestra and drums. Elizabeth is angry that the three men are acting so childish and fighting each other. There is a short pause in the music when Will tells Elizabeth to guard the chest. This creates an unspoken thought for Elizabeth. She pauses because she is shocked and angry that the guys are acting so juvenile. The music quickly starts up again as Elizabeth starts her rant. The music plays off of her angry outburst. As she yells at the guys there are short bursts of music that go up the scale as she gets more and more frustrated. There is also a continuous melody playing with strings. Elizabeth is not getting the men’s attention by yelling at them. She decides to try a different approach by pretending to faint. When Elizabeth fakes passing out from the heat, the music mickey-mouses her falling. A note is held out and then runs down the musical scale as she falls, completely stopping when she hits the ground. After falling, she notices two other pirates running off with the chest. There is sudden note played with strings that helps convey what she is feeling. It is a sudden burst of realization that they are stealing the chest. She gets up off of the sand and runs after the two thieves. Commodore Norrington has stolen the chest, and everyone else is back on the Black Pearl. Davy Jones has just sent a giant octopus, known as the Kraken, after Jack Sparrow. The Kraken is going to take down the whole ship, and everyone in it, until he gets Jack Sparrow. While everyone is abandoning ship, Elizabeth Swann tricks Jack Sparrow into staying on the ship by kissing him and then handcuffing him to the ship. As he is being handcuffed, a cello plays a deep melody. The melody gives off the feeling of betrayal. A full orchestra then joins the cello and continues the melody as Elizabeth abandons Jack Sparrow. As Jack Sparrow wiggles out of the handcuffs, the Kraken appears behind him. The Kraken has his own leitmotif. Hans Zimmer uses pipe organs and heavy bass lines to give a shadowy, underwater feel. Jack Sparrow turns around and the two are now face to face. Jack Sparrow bravely faces the Kraken with his sword ready, but he is no match for the beast. Jack Sparrow is swallowed up into the mouth of the terrible monster. As Jack Sparrow is swallowed up, an orchestra plays and a male choir sings solemnly. The movie ends with Commodore Norrington making his deal with Lord Beckett. Elizabeth is filled with guilt for sending Jack Sparrow to his death. Elizabeth, Will, and the rest of the crew are ready to sail to the end of the world to find Jack Sparrow. This may be how the movie ends, but not the story. The story continues on in the third movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.

Perception and Societal Factors

Serenity In Joss Hoedown's â€Å"Serenity' and â€Å"Firefly', the human race used and polluted the Earth until it could no longer support life. In order to survive, humanity had to leave Earth- That-Was and find a new home. Taking place 500 years in the future, the Chinese and Americans were the main cultures that have survived centuries of time and light- years of travel, they have blended into one culture where speaking English can suddenly give way to speaking Chinese as if they were one language. Stereotypes and rejoice were mostly observed in Alliance vs..Brownout scenes, and by Jane (Adam Baldwin). The solar system that Serenity takes place in is made up of central planets governed by â€Å"The Alliance†, essentially THE government. Some people didn't want to be governed by The Alliance while others welcomed the idea. Thus a war began. Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of the ship Serenity, fought on the side of the Brownouts. The Alliance won the war and maintained control o f the central planets while the Babel â€Å"Brownouts† typically settled on the outer desolate American old-west type planets, poor, lawless.Ethnocentrism can probably be observed in the crew of Serenity, they've become a family, weary of outsiders. The Verse is a dangerous place. The Alliance and all their riches have built the biggest cities, the biggest buildings, the biggest army, and best technology including weapons and ships. The crew of Serenity tends to stay clear of Alliance considering the Jobs they take are often illegal. The Alliance is the Role of Power.

Work Release Programs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Work Release Programs - Essay Example 2. A negative group of conditions, if the offender has these conditions then he is not qualified for the work release program (FDC, n.d.). The conditions to get involved in the program 1. The remaining time for the offender to finish his service time in prison is one year and a quarter or less, and there is ability for the authority to extend his service time (FDC, n.d.).2. The percentage of the spent time in service in prison is at least "85%" of the total time he should spend, and that is when there is no ability for the authority to extend his service time (FDC, n.d.). The conditions that cause disqualification 1. The offender is "convicted of sexual battery pursuant to s.794.011 F.S." (FDC, n.d.). 2. If the offender's current service in prison is the "fourth" at least. Any sentences from any other state will be counted (FDC, n.d.). 3. The offender escaped from a prison within "five years" before (FDC, n.d.). 4. If the offender "detainer filed against him/her". But in some cases this condition could be removed from the offender under some circumstances (FDC, n.d.). Under what circumstances a detain file could be ignored 1. The authority who is responsible for the detain procedures doesn't put the procedures in progress or doesn't approve it, and allows the offender to get involved in the program (FDC, n.d.). 2. If the offender has to pay money to terminate the detain procedure. If the offender joined a work release program he will be able to pay any necessary costs (FDC, n.d.).3. The offender's participation in a work release program was canceled "on his current commitment...A positive group of conditions, if the offender has these conditions then he is qualified for the work release program (FDC, n.d.). 1. The remaining time for the offender to finish his service time in prison is one year and a quarter or less, and there is ability for the authority to extend his service time (FDC, n.d.). 2. The percentage of the spent time in service in prison is at least "85%" of the total time he should spend, and that is when there is no ability for the authority to extend his service time (FDC, n.d.). The program aims to ensure security in community. The program also intends to provide good treatment and surveillance for the offenders. The final target of the program for the offenders is to change them from negative individuals to positive individuals, and that's to reconnect them to the public community and their families. The department in fact is trying to treat offenders as people who need help, not as people who need punishment (FDC, n.d.). The main problem that faces applying this work release program is that the offenders could escape during their participation in the program.

Stereotyping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stereotyping - Essay Example The world perceives the African woman, a black woman as a strong hardworking woman, which makes her body to resemble that of the men. As such, the stereotype that a black woman looks more like a man than like a woman comes in comparison of the black women alongside women from other races in the world, such as their Asian and American counterparts. They argue that the black skin denies the black woman an ability to expose her beauty and glow in the sun. Contrary to this, the black skin makes a woman uglier and less feminine, hence somehow inferior to women from other races. The masculinity of a black woman also arises from her strength and ability to do things that other women from different races find it difficult to undertake, such as digging land with a hoe while in the late stages of pregnancy, giving birth the natural way without many struggles. For instance, some women fail to push their babies out naturally during birth thereby necessitating a cesarean delivery. France is perce ived as the country of love, and Paris the city of romance. As such, this perception makes the French, and especially their women, professionals when it comes to matters love and romance. this stereotype denotes that a French woman is the most romantic lover a man can have all over the world as opposed to women from other countries. Evidently, this proves the fact why most people chose to go to Paris for their honeymoon, mostly to enjoy and tap the love and romance that flows from the French women.

#2,#3,#4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

#2,#3,#4 - Essay Example The four Es refers to: having positive energy; being able to energize other people; ability to make critical decisions; and ability to get work done in the required manner. Looking at the article â€Å"How to Conduct Interviews† it is noticeable that none of the information entailed in the article would be new for a typical student in BNAD 301. Just like it was taught during BNAD 301 lectures it is of importance for an interviewer to prepare in advance by creating a structure and agenda for the interviewing process. It is also notable that the article points out that an interviewer should consider creating questions in four categories, namely: fact-finding, problem-solving, creative-thinking, and behavioural. Fact finding questions will help and interviewer in finding details such as skills and experience of the candidates. Creative thinking questions are important in determining the extent to which the candidate can be creative. Problem solving questions are important in finding out the extent to which a candidate can use critical thinking in solving problems. Behavioural question can help in knowing how a candidate will react to certain situat ions. The article also asserts that it is always important to interview the candidate in person whenever possible. This helps in observation of interviewees’ non-verbal cues and communication skills. Taking notes is also given emphasis as it had been in BNAD 301 since it helps in making sure that an interviewer is able to use the details for the final decision later. Sometimes an interviewer might forget some of the details and observations made during the interview process. However, there are some new things that can be learnt from this article. For instance,even a typical student in BNAD 301 will find the information about taking candidates off campus for a meal or drink after the formal interview process is over new.

Logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Logistics - Essay Example In the management of erection logistics suitability and adaptability of the carriers are very important. Some of the functions relating to logistics, such as chartering arrangement for barges, supply vessels, helicopters, etc., are outsourced through the external agencies for customized sea freight and air freight services. Other important factors that need to be considered include waste disposal, material handling equipments, inventory management and clearance of goods in airports and seaport. Human resources management involves recruitment of qualified, experienced and certified professionals for employment in various levels of the management structure. Strategic planning and coordination is essential for storage and movement of the materials in cost effective management. Based on the risk parameters established for storage and handling of various types of materials and machineries, special arrangements for movement of materials with care should be made. The procedures for this pur pose should be incorporated into the system for effective management. Planning and Coordination Field logistics vary from project to project, consequently, so does the planning process. Somuyiwa, and Adewoye (2010) stated: IT in supply chain has enabled the gathering, storing and analysis of unprecedented amounts of data. It equally facilitates planning at all levels through data analysis and sharing, which enable planning to occur at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels. Similarly, IT gathers, integrates, and analyzes logistical data to streamline local and global supply chain. (p.43) The distance between the project to the sea and airports and the traffic level are the important factors which govern the planning process. Storage and transshipment of the materials at the port or airport depends upon the frequency in schedules for arrival and departure of the careers. Online location of the careers is important for monitoring status of the shipments in relation to the sch edule of operations. This will enable timely clearance of the goods, making arrangements for storing in offshore supply bases or moving them to the respective offshore platforms. Offshore mooring or establishing floating warehouses near the offshore oilfields should be considered based on the cost factors involved. This should be balanced with the increased efficiency achievable in logistics management in terms of time or deadlines. Cost-benefit analysis will enable the management to firm up the plans in line with the overall strategic logistics management decisions. Advance checking of the documents related to the goods such as pro forma invoice, packing list, inspection certificate, insurance and test certificate is essential to avoid problems in the last minute. Also, the transport documents such as Shipping Order, Bill of Lading and Sea/Air Waybill, other financial documents like letters of credit or insurance documents and the government documents such as licenses and declarati ons should be checked in advance. This will be useful in identifying the inconsistencies. Rectification of the defects on time will avoid delays in clearance. Documentation is very important, especially in the case of port or airport with heavy traffic. Here, officers at various levels may have to be coordinated in case there is any discrepancy in documentation.

Undercover Boss Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Undercover Boss - Assignment Example The expected salary for the described job position is around $40,000 to start on average. In order to determine and collect the information about the job position’s responsibilities, duties, necessary skills, outcomes and work environment of the job of the Catering director a job analyses is prepared. A Catering director is responsible for all types of operations and duties of the catering faculty (Andrews, 1980). A Catering Director is supposed to look for the overall management of the catering segment in a restaurant. The expected salary for the described job position is around $28,000 to start. In particular a Catering Director has to, The information of the staff and employees collected for the job analysis for the job positions or vacancies required for the new hiring in our company is through the observation and interviews. These two methods are considered as the most authentic for the data collection. The other authentic, one-on-one method is to interview. It helps connect the observations with the talking of the employees. Set of questions should be specifically based on observations and they work best (OMeara, 2013). The job analysis plays an essential role in identifying the functions of the jobs in our company. It also helps assist and identify reasonable accommodations made by our company’s policies. The policies and laws of our company avoid misclassification of employees to prevent the legal fees, fines and payback. It follows the â€Å"Fair Labor Standards Act† and this way our employees remain aware of the job functions and duties the employees are doing. The employees are compensated on a salary basis rate, which is not lesser than $455 per week. Salary test is also conducted for this purpose (Sims & Veres, 1995). The job description is kept updated as a job analysis is

The Effects of British Colonisation on Indigenous Australians Essay Example for Free

The Effects of British Colonisation on Indigenous Australians Essay The Effects of British Colonisation on Indigenous Australians There are many effects of British colonisation on Indigenous Australians. One of the worst impacts was the loss of land. The land is the sole provider of food, medicine and other basic needs to Indigenous Australians. It is also the main part of their spiritual and cultural beliefs. The Indigenous Australians lived ‘nomadic’ lifestyles. They lived in tribes that moved around, using only what they needed, recycling what they could, and moved on when they felt that the resources at the site had been exhausted. This gave the site time to recover and recuperate, and so, their resources never ran out. To the Europeans, land stated how wealthy the owner was, and they linked land ownership with power. The more fertile land you owned, the wealthier and more powerful you were considered to be. This, of course, did not apply to all Europeans who came to Australia, as most were convicts who were given land to farm and provide food for their community. When the Europeans came to Australia, their main aim was to build another colony, as well as find another place to situate their convicts. There were many reasons for the British to build extra colonies. These reasons include politics, religion and economics. Politics plays a very important part in colonialism. Extra colonies provided status, power and influence over the settlers, for the colonizer. This power enabled other effects of colonisation to take place, e. g. the spreading of religion Religion was a vital part of everyday life for the British. They felt that they had been ‘burdened’ with the task of having to spread their faith – Christianity. When the British had come into contact with the Aboriginals, they tried to ‘save’ them by introducing them to their religion, however, the Aboriginals had their own religion – the dreamtime. Building extra colonies also provided access to more natural resources, goods for trade and opened new markets for trading around the world. This provided even more wealth, and increased the economic status of many countries. When the British had ‘invaded’, many indigenous communities were forced off their land, which they considered sacred. In the early 19th century, many settlers took vital parts of the Aboriginal land, such as waterholes and soaks. By the 1870’s, all fertile land had been distributed. Many communities were reduced to living on the borders of British owned land, or on lands that were infertile, and considered unsuitable for settlement. As a result of the loss of land, the number of Aboriginal communities and the number of Aboriginals were greatly reduced. Consequently, they lost essential resources such as food and water, as there was less land to move around in, and less time for the land to recuperate. There are many effects of British colonisation on Indigenous Australians. Some of these were good, some others were bad, but the loss of land was one of the worst. Bibliography: Retroactive 1 – stage 4, world history. First published 1999 by John Wiley and sons Australia, Ltd. Lisa-Marie Long’s excursion booklet http://www. aboriginalart. com/aboriginal_australia. html visited on the 24/11/08 http://www. skwirk. com. au/p-c_s-17_u-504_t-1361_c-5239/QLD/5/Consequences-of-British-colonisation-for-Aboriginal-People/British-colonisation-of-Australia/Colonisation-resources/power-and-exploration/SOSE/ visited on the 24/11/08.

The Economics Of International Business Economics Essay

The Economics Of International Business Economics Essay Myanmar was formerly known as Burma located in Southeast Asia Country. The country has been under military rule for 49 years since 1962 to 2011. It situated between India, Thailand, and China. Even though country located its strategic location, but Myanmar still is the poorest countries in Asia because with almost a third of its population estimated to be living in poverty (U.S State Department, 2012). In 1989, the authorities Burmese officially changed the country name from Burma to Myanmar. But in 2010, the Myanmar country became the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. After Myanmar independence from Britain, the country became one of a member in many international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) (U.S State Department, 2012). As a leading multinational nutrition Nestlà © Company, before starting business in Myanmar, there are five elements should understanding their: a) Political Economy b) Economy Systems c) Legal System d) Culture e) Religion Political Economy Myanmar is a sovereign country and also is a specialist country which had different political compared to other country. Myanmar is a religious country because majority is Buddhism. However, the political system of Myanmar is different from other country. The political system of Myanmar can be dividing into three stages in the timeline from independence to the current. According to the timeline provided by BBC News Asia-Pacific (2012), Myanmar was independence at 1948 from Britain. During that time, the political of Myanmar is more toward to the democratic. Normally, they had general election on their country and the party who was wined in the general election will automatically practice the government and the leader will become the prime minister of the country. However, the practice of democratic political system did not last for a long time. According the timeline provided by BBC News Asia-Pacific (2012), the democratic political system only practice until 1962. During year 1962, Myanmar starts turn their political system from democratic to the military or totalitarianism. The first person who practices the military political system is Gen Ne Win and he abolishes the federal system and form the socialist or totalitarianism country. He had officially launched The Burmese Way to Socialism in 1962, which is meant the nationalizing the economy, that is, resources owned by government and only government have the power to govern the country in Myanmar. The socialism of the Myanmar had been continues for more than 48 years. During the socialism, Myanmar had become a sovereign and military country. The economy of the Myanmar is worst and only had limited range for economy to grow. The main reason of Myanmars economy became worst is Myanmar switched the political system from socialism to the right-wing totalitarianism. After the military take over the country, Myanmar is started slow down their economy even turn the economy back to last economy section with the slow grow. Myanmar decrease their trade with others country and started limit the economy activities in the country. Besides that, the governments also try to take over the economy activities and control all the trade so that there is limited freedom for their citizen or business. In addition, according to the report from Asia Report N °231(2012), Myanmar is related to the country that has similar political system and economy system, such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Myan mar is strongly related to those countries because they believed that work together with the countries that have similar political system and economic system will obtain more benefits. For this reason, the businessman from these three countries is very easy to start their business in Myanmar and will force less trouble during the business activity. However, not all of the business activity can be done in their country. The main reason is not because of the military or totalitarianism political system but is the religion. This is because the citizens in Myanmar, either army or politician are very respect to the Buddhism. Therefore, there are some business activity which is opposite the Buddhisms rule is not allowed to run in Myanmar. Furthermore, due to the strong religion faith, Myanmar trading with the others country decreased and more toward to self-economy system which is only produce enough goods for self country. Although Myanmar is rich in natural resources, but they did not u se their natural resources for international trade in order to boost-up their economy. During these few years, Myanmar is started changing their political system because they believed the military or totalitarianism does not provide benefits and human right for them. Besides that, the military political policy also make Myanmar became the poorest country in the world and unable to keep up with the development of its neighborhoods country like Thailand and Vietnam that is now developing faster and becoming very rich. In order to develop the country from poor to rich, Myanmar started regulates the democratic policy on year 2010 (BBC News Asia-Pacific, 2012). Myanmar try to convert their government from military to the civilian government because they believed the citizen play an important roles in the help of develop their country. After the democratic policy is regulated, Myanmar quickly organizes a general election in the country. According to the BBC News Asia-Pacific (2012), the Union and Development Party (USDP) won the election and the junta had said the election i s the process of transition from military rule to a civilian democracy. After the election, Aung San Suu Kyi who is taking part for forming the democracy government is been released from house arrest after a long time arrested by military government. The released of Aung San Suu Kyi can be determined as Myanmar start moved toward to human right country and can protect businessman when they are do their business activity in the country and had more chances for international trade done at Myanmar. The democracy political system is giving many benefits to Myanmar. The first of the benefits is the chair of ASEAN in 2014. According to Nehru and Endowment (2012), ASEAN sent a message to Myanmar, said Myanmar need to focus more on human rights and democracy in order to chair ASEAN in 2014. If Myanmar successful becomes a chair ASEAN, there will have many benefits for them. The first benefit is they can do their trade with others ASEAN country easily and organizing activities events at Myanmar and more people will know more about Myanmar. The second benefit is ASEAN is a free agent for advertisement because after joining the ASEAN, Myanmar wills easily attract the potential investor to invest their business to its country. Although Myanmar open more chances for other country for doing business in their country, there are still not enough to prove that Myanmar is a good place for doing the business. This is because Myanmar still had the limited on doing business in their country and the policy for protect the investment and business is still very weak and some is not really useful. Myanmar still does not had a good policy for the business section and some rules for the business is very tight and make the business less potential for development. Besides that, not all area of Myanmar is acceptable to the current government and immigrants citizen, some of the area still had the fight with the government so the safety of that area is negative. Furthermore, the costs of implementation the factory in Myanmar is very high because need pay more (bribe) Da loong u mean bribe? to the federal government and local government. Besides the costs, the process for getting approved of doing business in Myanmar is taking long time, so this will affect the profit and effectiveness of the company. According to the Asia Report N °231(2012), Myanmars political transition and economic reconstruction is interrelated. Asia Report N °231 (2012) also mentioned that there is hard for imagine a successful political transition unless the government ensure the economic stability and improvement of the development of the country and needed of the citizen. So, Myanmar is a very challenging country if start a business in the country although Myanmar had a rich on natural resources. When Myanmar compared to the United States, both country had different political system at the beginning but similar in these few year. Both of the country is democratic country whereas U.S. is stronger than Myanmar and more stable in the political situation when compare to Myanmar which is new to democratic. In economic system, United States is more effectiveness and better then Myanmar. This is because U.S. government had provided a lot of policy or art for the trade or business activity such as Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and others (Feinberg, 2003). For Myanmar, they only have few acts or policy to protect the trade and the business activity, so its risky and costly to invest the factory or business in Myanmar. However, there is a particular thing that the Myanmar had more advantages than United States, thats Myanmars resources rich than U.S, so when implement the factory in Myanmar, the cost f or the material will be cheaper and easily to get compared to United States. Therefore, there are had risk when implement business in Myanmar by the view of political economy. Economy Systems According to McEachern, there will have three key questions when come to economy: 1) what goods and services are to be produced? 2) How are they to be produced? 3) For whom are they to be produced? Economy systems can explain as the way that one country used to answer this three key questions. Every country in the world will under at least one type of economic systems. For this reason, to expand our business to Myanmar we must first know what economy system Myanmar under. The three basis types of economic systems that generally recognize by the economists are market economy, command economy and mixed economy (Hill, 2012). Now, lets discuss them one by one before we look at economy system of Myanmar. Traditional economy system In addition, there was an old economic system known as traditional economy system, society that under this system answers the three key questions according to their ancestors act, customs, rituals, beliefs and rituals. (Mxcastro, 2010) In short, they copy the ways that did by their previous generations. Traditional economy system was used in the past but now still will exist in the countries that are farm-based or rural. For an example, Native people of Brazils rain forest, the crops they planted, way to harvested, and the goods distributed to who were decided by their past generation and remains unchanged (Tucker, 2010). Therefore, this system decreased the rate of disputes among members but its restricted individual initiative, so will unable to produce advanced goods, new technology and then slow down the economic growth. So then, expand our business to the country that under traditional economy system is not recommended because a countrys practice may differ greatly from a countr y. Market Economy Furthermore, market economy is a system that allowed an individual to make decision of economic. In market economies, interaction of the force of supply and demand determines the prices and the prices are used to answers the 3 key questions. That is, what to produce is based on the popular trend and profitable, the producers will produce a product more when the demand for a product exceeds supply because the price of a product will rise and result in higher profit. The question of how to produce is depend on the producers choices, if the price and demand for a product is high, producers may use machine to produce in order to save the labor cost because machine can produce more in lower costs. The question of for whom they produce is based on the need or wants of the buyers and the price the buyers willing to accept. In addition, under pure market economies, intervention of government is absent. A pure market economy is also referred to as pure capitalism because both of the systems a re market answers the three key questions. Moreover, in pure market economy, mean of production is owned by private, buyers and sellers can make decision or choices as well as free trade for their deals. Also, according to Adam Smith, a countrys resources can be use efficiently and have better economic performance under market economy because its provided incentive for each individual to pursue his or her self-interest, known as invisible hand. However, pure economy system has some flaws such as people would suffer if without resources, stronger producers may eliminate the competition to monopolize the markets and people no incentive to produce public goods. Command Economy In command economy system, the three key questions are not answered by market force but government or people with central authority. In more specific, production, distribution, prices and others decision is controlled and regulated by government. In addition, state that under pure command economy owned all the business, there is no private ownership. Also, pure command economy emphasizes on collective goals more than individual goals, so sometime called communism or socialism. Furthermore, pure command economy also has some flaws such as resources do not use efficiently or wasted, absent from cost control, unable to meet the needs or wants of consumer because these resources owned by state, so people have no incentive to do so. Mixed Economy In mixed economy system, both market and government answers the three key questions, so this system involved both capitalism and communism. Government regulated only some of the markets in mixed economy system and resources in this system are owned by private ownership and public ownership. In addition, government normally take over the things is important to nation in this system such as provide national defense, birth cert recording, highway construction. Most of the people in the world will agree or accept these things to control by government. Also, government may take over the private firm that is failing if the private firm considered important to nations economic, for example, firm that have many employees, the government will take over the firm in order to prevent the increase of unemployment rate. Thus, mixed economy system provides the advantages of freedom without the need of government to give up its power. Myanmar Economy Systems Since year 1988, Myanmar has adopted the market-oriented economic (Aung, nd) with little government regulations which has replaced the centrally planned economy command economy. So that, the three key questions is answers by market force and each individual can make the economic decision. After adopted the market economy, the initial step that Myanmar takes is promoting and develops the private sector. Now in Myanmar, private activity has about 75%, mainly in light industry and agriculture and has about 25% of activity controlled by state, mainly in foreign trade, heavy industry and energy (WebWhacker, nd). Since Myanmar has adopted the market economy system which allows individuals to make economic decisions, so expand our business to Myanmar may be considered because as a multinational company, we has a lot of experiences of making economic decisions in many different country. Furthermore, foreign direct investment is allowed after Myanmar adopts the market economy system and the Union of Myanmar foreign investment law allows foreigner to fully owned company at there or can be joint venture with a state-owned enterprise, a private company or any Myanmar people, (DPS, 2006) so that we can easily set up our business at there. Moreover, in order to be line with the market economy, private individuals or enterprises are permitted by Ministry of Commerce to implement import and export business which was monopolized by the state in the past. (Aung, nd) For this reason, we can produce our goods at Myanmar with lower costs and export our goods to others country with higher prices. Also, others reason to expand business to Myanmar such as enough of labor force and low labor costs. Economic Condition Myanmar v United State United State Unit Myanmar Unit GDP (purchasing power parity) 15290.00 Billion USD 83.74 Billion USD GDP real growth rate 1.7 Percent 5.5 Percent GDP per capital (PPP) 49,000 US dollar 1,300 US dollar Labor Force 153.6 Million 32.53 Million Unemployment rate 9 Percent 5.5 Percent Exports 1497.00 Billion USD 8.21 Billion USD Imports 2,236 Billion USD 5.98 Billion USD Population 313.847465 Million 54.58465 Million Inflation rate 1.7 Percent 5.8 Percent Source: http://www.indexmundi.com/g/rank.html http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/indicators Legal System In the past, Myanmar was reported having the worlds worst legal system for doing business. According to The Economics Time (2012), a British risk analysis group, Myanmar was offering the least legal protection for foreign companies. But during the recent reforms of Myanmar, new laws are enacted, and the legal practices are changing rapidly. Technical assistance and training which include investment and finance law reform, foreign exchange controls, and the simplification of trading are giving a hand for Myanmar to improve the legal system. The first legal act for foreigners investing in Myanmar are two types of foreign investment defined: 1) a sole proprietorship wholly owned by a foreign investor supplying 100% foreign capital, and 2) a joint venture in the form of either a partnership or limited company, in which the foreign capital invested must be a minimum of 35% of the total equity capital (Chandler Thong, 2012). Foreigners who interested to invest in Myanmar are required to invest through a local incorporate company which shareholders and directors are controlled by them, not through the use of local nominees. The invested company will be blacklisted if the Foreign Investment Law is not accorded. Besides that, foreigners are forbidden to buy land in Myanmar. The second are the relaxations of international sanctions. Investment in Myanmar was restricted by sanctions implemented by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada and Australia since year 1997. CITATION? In 2012, the sanctions are relaxed. CITATION? United States has authorizes the new investment in Myanmar, but subjected to certain requirements and limitations; United Kingdom has suspend the restrictions of some key industries and assets freeze on approximately 500 people; CITATION? European Union has lifted all the sanctions except the arms and equipment embargo; Canada has allows import, export, investment and financial transactions to Myanmar; and Australia has remove the travel bans on Myanmar citizens but weapon trading is still prohibited. Furthermore, general laws of doing business in Myanmar. The general business law of Myanmar must be complied by the foreign investors and also domestic investors. First is the Myanmar Companies Act (1914). CITATION? A Myanmar investor who wants to build a business through a limited company may register under this act, but foreign shareholder and foreign director is prohibited. Meanwhile, a foreign investor who wants to build a business in Myanmar through a locally incorporated limited company may register under the Myanmar Companies Act too, but the company must be incorporated under the Special Companies Act (1950) CITATION? and be approved by the Foreign Investment Law. In addition, Special Companies Act (1950) is an act that governs all companies in equity share capital. CITATION? Besides, the labor laws that existing in Myanmar which include: Employment and Training Act (1950), Employment Restriction Act (1959), Employment Statistics Act, (1948), Factories Act (1951), Labour Orga nization Law (2011), Leave and Holidays Act (1951), Minimum Wages Act, (1949), Oilfields Labour and Welfare Act (1951), Payment of Wages Act (1936), Social Security Act, (1954), Shops and Establishments Act (1951), Workmens Compensation Act (1923) and the new enacted law, Labor Dispute Settlement Law (2012) (QuickMBA, 2010). *****Please do citation and change the sequence for those law to avoid plagiarize.**** The laws above deal with all labor related problems like working hours, holidays, annual and sick leaves, wages and overtime, social welfare and more. Citation? Moreover, minimum wages are provided for workers in certain fields like agriculture and more. Comparing to the United States, this has a more stable legal system because Myanmar is more challenging and risky to be invested in but also provides a higher return than United States due to lesser competitions. Furthermore, Myanmar has seen to be a potential investment place with its improving legal system and few advantages like rich natural resources and young labor forces. Lastly, United States could be a safe place to invest, but if as a profit seeker, Myanmar could be a better choice to invest in. Culture Myanmar is a hundred ethnic groups country; each has their own distinctive cultural traditions. Many of the tribal groups have produced the excellent handicrafts, dancing and musical performances. Myanmar culture which is non-tribals has been significantly influenced by the Buddhism. The unique thing about Myanmar culture is that it is free from racial or sex discrimination from childbirth throughout their lifetime. Everyone is allowed to equal rights, opportunity and treatment whether at work or at court. Regarding the Myanmars history, in traditional Western societies, women played a stronger role than man. From early on they could have own property and were independent in economic activities. Myanmar women enjoy the same status with their male counterparts and do not necessarily have to keep their surnames (JourneyMart.com, 2001). For American, their culture is Western culture, which based on British culture with influences from other parts of Europe, the Native American peoples. American Culture is known around the world are the films, shows, and musical performances. Furthermore, the most popular cities in American culture are New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Florida, and Las Vegas (Frost, 2004) Food in Myanmar Basically, Burmese food is very appetizing such as blend of Chinese and Indian foods. The basic food of Myanmar is mainly rice and curry. Some of the curries are spicy and often served with salad, vegetable soup and fish paste cooked in various ways. Among the favorite food is mohinga (rice noodles with fish gravy) which is eaten at any time of the day. Another popular dish is ohn-no- khaukswe, which is a chicken curry based on coconut milk served with plain boiled rice or eggs noodles. Therefore, desserts that they commonly eaten include sanwin-ma-kin (Myanmar sweet cakes made of semolina, sugar, egg, butter and coconut), Myanmar-style banana cakes, and kyaukchaw such as sea weed jelly (JourneyMart.com, 2001). In Myanmar towns, Chinese restaurant can be easily found there. They serve Cantonese and Hokkienese style Chinese food. Indian food like kebabs and briyani are also popular among the Myanmar. European food is available only at restaurant in the hotels. Chettyar food is also popular among the Myanmar. For Myanmar country, meal usually incorporate soups and curries are often finished off with fresh fruit such as sugarcane juice. Thus, most restaurants will close by 10pm although some tea and coffee shops will still open. Language Burmese or Myanmar is the main language in Myanmar. However, English is widely spoken. The largest of the population are using this language, indeed there are so many ethnic groups in Myanmar, and it is difficult to amazing that the country has a number of other languages and dialects. Each country has its own dialect, the most common dialect in Myanmar are Kachin, Chin, Karen, and Shan dialects. The Karen is renowned for the custom of women wearing heavy brass coils around their necks, starting from the age of five. In fact, such ornamentation reveals them to be Padung, a sub-ethnic group of the Karen (Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, 2008). English also one of the languages that usually used in urban areas. Religion Myanmar is a primarily Buddhist country which the Buddhists stand for 80 percent of the population. Citation? Today, the most common form of Buddhism in Myanmar is Theravada Buddhism. Besides that, excluding Buddhism; there are other religions that have followers in Myanmar such as Christians, Muslims, Hindus and some Animists, but this entire four are minority religions (JourneyMart.com, 2001). Theravada Buddhism is the more traditional of the two major divisions within this religion, such as it believes itself to be closer to the original teachings of the Buddha. According to Woodward Hopfe (2009), for Theravada Buddhism people must achieve enlightenment for themselves without reliance on the gods. Religion plays an important role in a typical Myanmar Buddhists life that his or her routine cannot be separated from Buddhist rituals. There is also a Buddhist lent on Myanmar calendar which lasts for three months in the rainy season, from around July to October, during which fasting i s preserved, marriages and moving home is generally set off. However, in United States, the main religion is Christianity. Naturally, a religion that encompasses so many people contains a great variety of beliefs and practice. Christians share a common belief in the uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth, that he in some way provided for the redemption of humankind by his death and was himself resurrected from dead (Woodward Hopfe, 2009). In Christianity, Roman Catholic is the largest denomination. When Myanmar compared to the United States, both country had different religion whereas Myanmar is more familiar in Buddhism, but United States their largest religion is Christianity. Conclusion In past decades, Myanmar was known as poorest country in Asia and many investors do not dare to step-in and start their business because they predict their business will not gain any profit, so they instead of choose neighborhood countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and China to expand the business. With the recently released of house arrest Aung San Suu Kyi, the country human right re-born again because Aung San Suu Kyi fight for human rights for the citizen, so this can give more opportunities to all foreign investor to do their business in Myanmar easily. As many investors rather choose neighborhood countries to expand the business, this proves that in Myanmar business environment have very few competitors to compete each others to gain for the purchasing power from the consumer. So, with fewer competitors in market, we can easily dominate the Myanmar market before other foreign investors does. Therefore, Myanmar is an ideal country to expand the business because due to the country rich in natural resources, low costs, and fewer competitors. As the goods produce in Myanmar and export to others country, or even to our home country it will gain profit in the shortest time. By comparing to United States, its require take lots of time to gain profit and cover back all the costs to produce the goods.