Samsung Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Samsung - Case Study Example The company underwent a huge transition to a high-end technological manufacturer whose focus was on the B2C market from the B2B market. Most technology consumers had come to associate Samsung with poor quality products. In order to alter the perception with regards to its products, Samsung came up with a restructuring process through a careful study that saw them alter their marketing strategy to meet these challenges. Samsung Electronics altered its strategy from technological segmentation to lifestyle segmenting. They started by carrying out extensive market research aimed at manufactured products, which were reflective of the customers’ lifestyle rather than those with technological features that were specific. By using segmentation by lifestyle, Samsung segmented their market followed by product positions. Samsung focused, on the quality of their products in their marketing, to change the image that consumers in the market had in their products. Samsung implemented quality initiatives like six sigma and various initiatives of manufacturing, like assembly manufacturing, to enhance their output via optimal resource utilization. Samsung also developed new products that were technologically superior and innovative. They developed products that were high end and fun for the phone sector to appeal to the preferences of customers in the market. Samsung integrated features like access dictionaries and the religious texts to appeal to local consumers. In addition, their 50-gram phone was introduced that while it did not significantly increase sales volumes, aided Samsung in projecting its image as a high-tech company. Samsung also associated their company with sport events, for example, by becoming the official sponsor of the Seoul Olympics that boosted its visibility worldwide. Q#2: Compared to established rivals like Sony, Matsushita, and Nokia, Samsung was a late entrant in the global consumer electronics market. Comment on Samsung’s brand building initiatives in the global consumer electronics market. Samsung, beginning in 1993, sought to create a global brand and acquire a new corporate identity. To start with, Samsung altered their logo, writing their full name in white against a blue background, which sought to represent warmth, reliability, and stability. Samsung was also looking to the global market, which informed their decision to change their brand name to English for the consumers worldwide to remember easily. It is also said that the design of their logo, which has the letters S and G partially breaking into the exterior of the oval was representative of Samsung’s will to appeal to the consumer’s wish to be connected to a company and their innovations. They also needed to improve their brand image in the market and they did this by offering technologically advanced and innovative products, as well as the initiation of worldwide marketing activities. These steps were taken with the view of increasing th eir brand visibility across the world. Samsung also sought to attach the name of their brand to quality and this saw them change their focus to high-end market products from those in the low end. Their new product designs won the IDE awards, which increased their brand awareness. This led to Samsung, by the early part of the century, to emerge as one of the world’s biggest brand in the cell phone sector. Their high prices were qualified by their high technology, coupled to additional features that they added to their products in comparison to their

Search, Taxonomy & Collaboration Tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Search, Taxonomy & Collaboration Tools - Essay Example As the discussion highlights  the knowledge workers are regarded as the people who focus on applying different approaches to analyze the knowledge they have gained and develop the same towards attaining new and progressive views. In this regard, it can be asserted that with the effective development of technical advancements, a large number of tools were incorporated for enhancing a process that is associated with synthesis of knowledge and initiating effective learning.  From this paper it is clear that  knowledge management has emerged to be the most important tools that has been initiating progressive development and affecting progression within the system. With the continuous change in the business environment, managing the diverse and complex business changes could only be mitigated with the effective management of knowledge. This management of knowledge, on the other hand, can be supported and progressed with the diverse use of collaborative tools, initiating succession w ithin the society and supporting knowledge workers to develop their proficiency.  With the progression of the diverse tools and technology, there have been successful advancements in the process of knowledge gathering and synthesis, opening new avenues towards knowledge advancement. Commendably, with the integrated use of the collaborative tools, there have been substantial advancements within the level of knowledge available to the society or community players.

The Development Of Mass Tourism Mallorca Tourism Essay

The Development Of Mass Tourism Mallorca Tourism Essay Balearic Islands with total area of 5,014 km consist of four islands which are 2 by Formentera, 11 by Eivissa, 14 by Menorca and 73 by Mallorca (Bull 1997, 140). Mallorca is the largest island of the Balearic archipelago with 555km of the total coast length of the island (Garcia and Servera 2003, 288) which covered for nearly three quarters of the land with approximately 3640 km ² in Balearic Island. The climate of Mallorca is typically Mediterranean with moderate average temperatures. During the summer, the dry and warm season takes place. The average annual rainfalls are 625 mm, with average temperature 16 °C and 17 °C except in the high mountain (Guijarro 1986). With its favorable climate, extensive coastline and beautiful beaches it have lured visitors coming over for many centuries. In 1950s the development of tourism increasingly creates an opportunity to the local in generating additional jobs and income. On the other side it has resulted in a large flux of immigrants from Iberian Peninsula to Mallorca. At the same time when the tourism industry developed, the local economy became dependent on this source of revenue. Consequently, in 1955 there is 30 of the population was working for the sector however in 1996 it was almost 76 (Garcia and Servera 2003, 288). The development of Mass Tourism (Mallorca) Definition of Mass tourism Burkart and Medlik (1974, 42) states Mass tourism is essentially a quantitative notion, based on the proportion of the population participating in tourism or on the volume of tourist activity. However, in the context of Bramwell (2004) relate it to tourism industrys large-scale replication of standardized holiday packages combining accommodation and transport to cater large numbers of people from diverse social groups. Basically both definitions have pointed out the key element of mass tourism that is all about large volume and large scale of replication production with local participation involvement to cater vast numbers of visitors. Since 1950s tourism in Mallorca has closely aligned with a standard mass holiday package aimed at a very price-sensitive of European tourist (Aguilo et al. 2005, 221). Having such characteristic of the climate, sun and beach is perfectly match with the mass tourist who in search of hot weather and suntan within the framework of a rigidly packaged holiday. Butlers life cycle of Mallorca Exploration involvement stage-1930s The butlers lifecycle model (1980), describes a tourist destination from the exploration to development up to stagnation and decline phases can be best apply in the destination of Mallorca from the growth stage to post-stagnation stage. In the period of exploration and involvement stages tourism takes place in Mallorca act merely as an instrument for stimulating cultural and intellectual activity (Bull 1997, 141). Early development stage 1955s When it comes to 1955 Mallorca Island is in development stage where mass tourism started to grow during that period. There was a re-establishment of the tourist board that have significantly change the tourism on the island whereby the tourism become more very much linked with the development of package holidays and mass tourism from the growing markets in western and northern Europe (Pearce 1991 and Williams 1997). However in 1959, Spanish government took the initiate to simplify the procedure of visiting the country in order to modernize the economy by gaining overseas revenue through (Stabilisation Act of 1959). The numbers of visitors started to growth constantly in early 1960s, majority of the visitors were dominated from UK and Germany in large volumes concentrated especially during summer season (Clark 1988) (Figure 1). Consolidation stage-1980s-1990s Between 1960s-1980s the consequences from the boom of international tourism to Mallorca, it led to an increasing resort development along the coastline. Most of the island began from the rapid growth of inexpensive package holidays in the 1960s. However in the late of 1970s, many buildings, resorts and apartments were built in order to cater large numbers of visitors and growing number of the populations. Majority of these early resorts were portrayed by standard apartment building architecture, short of appropriate infrastructure and lack of planning, which lead to the consolidation stages. Buswell (1996, 321) described the growth of tourist resolution on Mallorca as unplanned and piecemeal, even chaotic. Later, stricter planning laws was set up in 1980s and 1990s against the problem that arisen. Subsequently Mallorca managed to maintain its good reputation with tourists, particularly from UK and Germany moreover constantly attracts about 10 m visitors per year (Buswell 1996 and Gov ernment Balear 2003) Stagnation and Decline stage-1990s-2000s In late 1990s, environmental pressures begin to emerge in Mallorca regarding to the issue such as water shortages, climate change, overcrowding, and over commercialization as well as anti-social behavior by its visitors. This eventually causes an overall of decline in number of visitors arrive to its destination. In provisions of destination life cycle dynamics, the tourism product of Mallorca was beginning to stagnate and decline and required management planning and policy intervention to bring about its rejuvenation (Butler, 1980). Development of Mass tourism in Calvia, Mallorca Calvià ¡ is a municipality of Mallorca which is also one of the largest tourism receiving areas. It accounted about one third of the total flow of tourists to Balearic Islands. It covers 145 km ² and has a coastal strip of 56 Km of beaches and cliffs which caused it absolutely suitable destination for mass tourism. It offers accommodation for 120,000 bedspaces and with approximately up to 1.6 million visitors a year (Aguilo, Algere and Sard, 2005). Furthermore, with its location in tiny distance from the airport of Palma creates an easily accessible to the visitors. The population of the resident increased from 3000 in habitants during 1960 up to 30,000 in the late nineties (Dodds 2007). Since 19th century, tourism began to be as main economic activity of its island (Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda, 2005). Tourism development in Calvià ¡ boomed in the 1960s and has been based on short-term economic gain. As Aguilo et al. (2005) states, it was one of the first municipalities to experience negative effects of mass tourism. Lack of planning regulations resulted in urban sprawl and lack of environmental regard, similar to many Mediterranean resorts. The model of tourism development in Mallorca has been based on short-term interest, unlimited building out of tune with local conditions, and an unsustainable exploitation of exceptional natural resources. Tourist development took place in 1960s to 1980s and was hasty and unplanned. Economy In economic point of view, tourism is important as it create job opportunities, infrastructure development as well as foreign exchange. The unemployment rate is much lower than national average (Ministerio de Trabajo 2005) as there are about 31,793 people employed in restaurant-bars, 2057 involved in transportation rental, 483 in supermarkets, 398 people employed in souvenir shops and with 1,684 works in other tourist facilities. Meanwhile 1,402 involved in beach business and 18,003 are involved in providing tourist activities. In Calvià ¡ it was estimated about 61749 vacancies in terms of providing tourist activities (Molz 2004). It has 30 higher income per capital of national and 5 higher of E.U. levels (Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda 2005). Looking at these figures it becomes absolutely obvious 85 of Balearic Islands GNP is from tourist industry, and tourism is the main source of income for the city of Calvià ¡ whereby economy is completely reliant upon it. From the statistics numbers given, it can be conclude that there is high number of labour force joining the labour market, the tourist monoculture especially during the peak seasonal pattern, labour with a low salary system, and pressure of work during high season (Local Agenda 21 2001). Socio culture impact While tourism provides certain economic benefits to a region in any case in the short term, however it does causes annoyance to the local way of life. To the locals the concerns may derive due to the unfulfilled promises, disruption of a traditional way of life, insufficiency of employment opportunities or frustration with the economic changes which came with mass tourism development. Before tourism takes place, Calvià ¡ was fundamentally a poor and rural area with little outside contact and general history of emigration with its own language and culture of Catalan roots (Ruzza 2004). However tourism has wholly altered these features; a vast number of immigration from the Spanish peninsula arrived to fulfill the demand for labour created by the growth of mass tourism, particularly in the building industry and the hotel business. Consequent to that the temporary immigrant population, has gradually turn into resident, eventually this causes the loss of cultural identity, conflict over language issues, and lack of social integration within local and immigrant population and tiny participation in local social life. Although Calvià ¡ is Spains richest municipality and one of the richest in Europe, it has the lowest level of education in Spain which itself the lowest in Europe (Ayuntament de Calvià ¡ 1995). Besides, most of employments given for waiters and house cleaner which did not trained by a professional skilled. Consequences of too many visitors Reason tourist choose Calvià ¡ as holiday destination The persistence of the sun and sand model (2005, 222), describes that the reason induces tourists to choose the particular sun and sand destination include the climate of 76.2, the beaches (51.2), the price (36.4), and the quality of the hotels (22.2). Among all, climate is the fundamental reason followed by the beaches which induces tourists for choosing such destination. As a result Calvià ¡ received a growing number of visitors who travel to a mass tourism holiday destination attracted by the climate, sun and beaches. Calvià ¡ were seen as a model based on value, in terms of price competition it has lure many visitors especially from UK and German with it standardization of the holiday experience (CIITIB, 2002). Social impact For the local point of view, visitors seem to utilize the physical environment from the local however the profit that generated from the visitors are not share with the local community. Thus it creates undesirable impacts on livelihoods without sharing benefits with the local people who bear the cost of both human and natural environment. Eventually conflicts arise among local populations with vast number of visitors as they need to compete for limited use of resources such as water, sanitation, energy and land uses. In point of tourist view it is frequently recapitulate with the statements with this used to be a paradise but now it is ruined because of overcrowding, over commercialization or overdevelopment. The mass tourism tackiness and the variety of problems experienced in Calvià ¡ have too often formed blemish alongside beautiful natural scenery; crowded with vast numbers of tourists as if they were many cattle; ruined traditional cultures and occupational patterns by creating a insidious tourism industry portrayed as low paying jobs service and manipulative values; without concerning the needs of local citizens and the community values that were inconsistent with pragmatic economic requirements of the tourism industry. Environmental impact The risen numbers of visitors and residents have immense environmental pressure in Calvià ¡. As mentioned in butlers life cycle, Mallorca was in the period of stagnation in 1990s may lay on the line by rising of environmental pressure mainly due to water shortages and climatic change. Inadequate water supply The issue of inadequate water supply especially during peak period and summer season, water supplies is aggravated by visitors flows for use in hotels, swimming pools and golf course. According to the statistic documented in 1995, the water consumption by visitors amounted of 160 liters per day whereby resident is only 130 liters. High demand in energy consumption The annual consumption of primary energy in Calvià ¡ amount to 72,000 TEP per year of which only 2 is renewable. However, the consumption per day was 6.47 kwh and visitors stay one night in hotel the consumption amounted to 2.14 kwh (Dodds 2007). Pollution by Transports Of 1,400,000 tones emission of carbon dioxide, 58 is due to transporting tourist in and out of Mallorca. In Calvià ¡ 1995 statistic, visitors are the major causes of traffic congestion where of 70 million journeys 50 million were from visitors. Urban waste In 1995 Calvià ¡ produced 41000 tons of urban waste with roughly 1.25 kg per day by the resident however 1kg per visitors a day. Moreover there is a limited option for disposal. The production of wastewater and solid waste in visitor areas often surpass the carrying capacity of local infrastructure due the high seasonal demand. Deterioration of the Land use Building development in Calvià ¡ has been excessive with mass occupation of sandy beaches and important enclaves along the rocky coastline (Pappas 2007). With over 60 of Calvià ¡ region was caused by soil erosion. However land area was reducing drastically because of urbanization. Furthermore, as a result of urbanization, quarries and waste dumps were increasing. Forest fires also sparked further destruction of the land. According to an accounting of the distribution of the entire area of Calvià ¡ made by Schmitt (Molz 2004) in 1991 the build-up-area has quadrupled in the years from 1968 to 1991 (+311.6). However 57 of archaeological heritage were at high risk of deterioration. Overcrowded beach Almost 80 of the analyzed cases show overcrowding despite an urban beach or natural beach. There is a strong seasonal concentration of visitors between June and September because of the demand for sun and beaches. Subsequently this led to overcrowded beach with less than 6 m ² of beach surface per person with increasing anthropogenic pressure over the coastal zone (Garcia and Jaume 2003, 287). Solution Calvià ¡ is an example of a mass tourism destination which, from a result of tourism pressure in the late 1980s, faced significant economic, social and environmental decline. As mentioned by Butler (1993) tourism is an activity because of its reliance upon the maintenance of natural environment and natural processes, should lent itself toward sustainable development. Therefore, sustainable development must always be tourisms main objective. Without natural environment and natural processes there would not be any tourism activity at all. In the case of Calvià ¡ the decrease of tourism numbers and Balearic Island as a whole driven regulations and efforts to move towards addressing the problems of the degradation of the environment, deterioration of social systems and facilities and the threat of further tourism decline. Definition of Planning and Policy Mass tourism is a key issue in the global tourism industry, may it be in Mallorca or Brazil or Iceland. The word MASS alone brings about one fear: mass-destruction. Without careful tourism planning, it brings about unseen consequences that can make tourism destroying tourism become a reality and nightmare. By looking at the definition of planning is extremely ambiguous and difficult to define. Chadwick (1971, 24) states that planning is a process of human thought with an action based upon the thought in point of fact, forethought, thought for the future, nothing more or less than this is planning. Meanwhile Hall (2008, 90) supported Chadwicks ideas to conclude that most important aspect of planning is that it is directed towards the future. However, planning cannot be accomplished without policy because it is closely related terms. Wilkinson (1997) linked planning and policy by stating planning is a course of action, whereas policy is the implementation of the planned course of action. Planning and policy in the case of Calvià ¡ Calvià ¡ Plan for tourist Excellent 1990 The plan was developed in 1990 as to target the threat of decline. It comes along with the Balearic Autonomous community in cooperation with the municipalities as to modernize, improve and diversify the tourism. This plan included building clearance to regain open space, try to counterbalance the seasonal nature of tourism and training and employment. However this plan is mainly focused on the industry supply side instead of sustainability of the destination and host community did not involve at all. As a result, it did not attempt to overcome the growing issues that have arisen. Calvià ¡ Local Agenda 21 (LA21) 1995 At the end of 1994, the Town council of Calvià ¡, together with a range of working groups, drew up the Local Agenda 21 for Calvià ¡ as a long term strategies integrated with economic, social, territorial and environment actions. In formulating LA21 in 1995 and Action Plan in 1997, the Municipality of Calvià ¡ actively involved the support of local community, all the stakeholders, NGO as well as national and EU governments. The key objectives for LA21 Calvià ¡ concentrating on entering a new way of life based on sustainable and participatory urban and tourism planning; emphasize environmental management of the destination, look for for agreement and consensus with social representatives, control development and act for more stable employment in the area. (Calvià ¡ Agenda Local 21, Mallorca, Spain 2004). In 1998 New Balearic Law in Calvià ¡ was set out as to limit accommodation growth, restore existing hotels and to protect 40 of natural areas. The objectives of the LA21 comprises of 10 strategic lines of action and 40 initiatives. Key results that have been achieved since the implementation of Calvià ¡s 1997 plan The LA21 Action Plan which were set out in 1997 were seems to have improvement in a general movement toward sustainability within the region and as Calvià ¡ is fairly autonomous, it was able to adopt and implement many initiatives without the need for collaboration from higher government. Among those key results that have been achieved since the implementation of the LA21 action plan are stated below: Planning and Regeneration Decline of 200 bed without raise in number of hotels and apartments 1993-2002-about 30 building clearance plan actions including actual building demolition and purchase of urban plots as to prevent further construction were carried out Demolished buildings on more than 13,500m ² of the total surface area Upgraded area in Magaluf Palma Nova tourist area with pedestrian zones and planting tree as to improve quality of the area. In Paseo de Calvià ¡ 32 km cycling and walking path was built Environmental instruments Tax was imposing on water consumption for conservation with awareness campaigns on promoting its use. The recycling urban waste reduction plans successfully separated 70 of the urban waste at origin, assisting by reducing cost of recycling effort, minimizing land fill. Sea dredging which used to generate beaches has been terminated while measures on environmental friendly were put in place to minimize erosion. New regulation for limiting anchor damage harbor congestion cause by boats Protect wild life ecosystems with the establishment of Marine Park terrestrial protected areas. Economic instruments Impose an eco-tax in 2002 by Balearic Government as to carry out Calvià ¡ council rehabilitation and regenerative projects. Voluntary instruments Renovation programmes for hotels, tourist accommodation and tourist facilities established to upgrade quality and attract a higher yield tourist Socio cultural instruments Programmes to combat crime, housing and other social issues Multi-cultural and social programmes such as dance, underwater photography and language classes established to help integrate immigrants into Mallorquin culture. Calvià ¡ has been recognized internationally for its efforts conclusion Calvià ¡ 2.0 The development of mass tourism in Calvia, Mallorca. 2.1 Definition of Mass Tourism

Free Macbeth Essays: Atmosphere and Setting :: Free Essay Writer

Atmosphere and Setting in Macbeth Atmosphere and setting plays a very important part in Macbeth. The play starts with the Witches, which is at a desolate place with thunder and lightning. This is first of all a pathetic fallacy because of the weather being so bad and the hideous appearance of the witches. This scene also gives us the first sign of the supernatural. The witches are the man source of the evil and supernatural in the play and they also give an impression of fear, horror and mystery. It is important of them to start the play, as they are the catalysts for all Macbeth's decisions, so obviously they effect the play quite a lot. They can foretell the future, defy the laws of nature and change the weather. But their powers are ambiguous; they have to answer to Hecate. They can turn into animals but when one of them turns into a rat it has no tail, showing their flawed power. They also can't make Macbeth kill Duncan; they just create an atmosphere, manipulating him, which makes him want to kill him. They use animals to enhance the atmosphere and amplify their evil, unnatural state. Shakespeare doesn't just use animals to show the evil of the Witches he also uses animals to convey the state of the country, ie, when the horses eat each other after Duncan has been killed. This shows that Scotland is in a state of disorder. The witches also speak in riddles, "fair is foul and foul is fair" which gives the play an uneasy atmosphere, as does their language "Birth strangled babes". The Witches mainly give the play an uneasy feel because they are violating God's natural order. Noise also gives quite a tense atmosphere in the play. When Macbeth goes to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth hears a knell (a traditional funeral bell), an owl shriek and crickets cry. These are all signs of death and it makes Macbeth think that more people know about what Macbeth has done. Also when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are talking after the murder, there is a knocking which gives a very uneasy and tense feel. Also as the play goes on, Macbeth becomes very paranoid about any noise and it makes the play very tense. Colour does play a role in setting the atmosphere but only in one or two of the scenes. Red, of course is very important because of the amount of blood in the play. It also plays a big part because both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth talk about the 'red misty hell'. Linked with colour is the important use of light and dark ni the play to

Eulogies: Eulogy and Philosophy Collection Article

Informative Speech Outline Eulogies Introduction Attention Getter: Life is not just about the number of days we live, or the number of contacts we have. Our lives can have an immeasurable and undetectable affect on others. Motivational Link: At some point in our lives we could write, read, or even hear a eulogy about someone that we once knew. Purpose Statement: Through the context of my presentation it is my purpose to enlighten you on the qualities that make these speeches so memorable.Preview Statement: In order to gain a better understanding, we must first examine the history of where they originated, then we can focus on where and how they are used today, and finally discuss the elements used when writing one. Body It is important to know the history of eulogies as it gives us an insight of where they originated to why we use them. The origin of the eulogy. The word originated from the Greek language, and from the words â€Å"word/ speech of praise† â€Å"It was first kn own use was in the 15th century†. This is according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary online that was update in 2013.There have been many famous eulogies throughout history, from Shakespeare (1616) to Michael Jackson (2009). The purpose and they way they are composed are no different. This is a part of history that is does not change but grows. Sign Post: Now that we have discussed the history of eulogies, where they originated, let us look at where and how they are used today. A eulogy can be performed at all kinds of celebrations. Most commonly we think of eulogies being given as part of a funeral service. They take place in either a funeral home and can be preformed during or after a wake.A wake is the period of visitation of the deceased. A eulogy may also be performed during the main service. Also there can be living funerals for those who are severely ill or elderly which are used to express words of love and gratitude before they pass In the novel Tuesdays with Morrie C opyright  © 2006, the professor named Morrie preferred to have a living funeral, so that he could hear all the wonderful things his family and colleagues had to say about him. As well as praising individuals who will be passing soon, eulogies can also be a time to praise those who are still living and have something special to celebrate.In cases of retirement, promotions, birthdays, or even weddings. However, some religions do discourage, or do not permit at all during the time of service to maintain respect for tradition and their higher power/ beliefs. a. In catholic mass the priest are prohibited by the rubrics of the mass. â€Å"’Eulogy’ is not part of our catholic tradition, and it doesn’t belong in a catholic funeral mass† November 2010 Religion and Philosophy Collection article â€Å"Let’s Bury the Eulogy† As we did learn in the history that the word eulogy is Greek for word of praise, the catholic take these words in another conten t. we come to bury Caesar and not to praise the wretch, as Shakespeare says, because the only one we praise in liturgy is Christ† Again November 2010 Religion and Philosophy Collection article â€Å"Let’s Bury the Eulogy† Sign Post: Since you now know where and how eulogies are used today, now we can discuss the components used when writing one. A eulogy is most often delivered by a family member, friend, or even colleagues. The individual who is giving the speech is also the one who wrote it. When preparing and giving a eulogy there are many different components one must consider.There are so many different ideas to consider but if you can focus and remember these five, preparing and delivering a eulogy will be easy. Decide on which approach is appropriate for you some writers take the serious approach, while others bring humor. It doesn’t matter which one you use but it is important to have a conversational tone as if you are talking to friends. The spea ker needs to consider their audience. Does not matter what occasion focus on the positive aspects of the person talking about, even if they do have flaws.Be specific, by making it personal with a story not wanting to just list qualities about the person or achievements they have made. As the writer and speaker you want to be concise and well-organized, so like in any public speaking make an outline, and brainstorm areas that you can talk about, as well as being interesting and avoid rambling. You will want to rehearse, reread the eulogy you have written out load. These will help with making sure it sounds appropriate and if you need to change it. ConclusionSummary Statement: Through examining history, present day usage, and the components of preparation, we have developed a better understanding of eulogies. Leaving Statements: The next time you are at a funeral or special occasion and someone gets up to give a speech of praise, you will know what it took for them to write it, as wel l as have full appreciation to what they are doing for that individual they are speaking of. Tieback: You don’t know what the future holds for you, but you, you can make a difference and impact someone else’s.

Legalization of Marijuana Essay

The terms ‘weed’ or ‘grass’ strike meaning to many Americans. When thinking of these terms, they are commonly associated with having the ‘munchies’ also known as being extremely hungry due to the side affects of smoking marijuana. What most Americans don’t realize is the benefits that can come from legalizing marijuana because their minds are clouded by the stereotypes associated with the average ‘pot smoker’. Dismiss the corny jokes and stereotypes for a second and consider the truths that are unveiled. In Timothy Egan’s â€Å"Give Pot a Chance,† Egan looks beyond the stigma of smoking weed and points out the benefits that will come from legalization. Although the government is wrongfully hindering us from legalizing marijuana, it should be a national wide policy due to the large benefit of tax regulations that will and has already arise. Egan starts his opinion with three main arguments: marijuana related drug wars, hypocrisy, and the most important argument he points out is the tax revenue that will be generated. Drug related wars are extremely prevalent today. Egan states that there are over 853,000 arrest made for marijuana related offenses. 60,000 people have been killed because of drug wars and violent crimes regarding the distribution of marijuana. Many people are being affected by the violence of the underground markets. He briefly goes over statistical numbers and significant data to further emphasize his argument for legalization. He quickly delves into the hypocrisy of not legalizing marijuana. He explains how our sports industry would completely collapse without all the legal drugs provided by various companies. Popular products include five-hour energy, red bull, and other pills for other uses. He points out how there were thousands of illnesses and fatalities regarding Five Hour Energy. This is an over the shelf product that can be obtained by anyone. In retaliation, Egan brings up how there are little to no people dying from marijuana ingestion. This also brings attention to one of the most common argument as to why people oppose legalization: that it is  unhealthy for the human body when taken in large doses. Although not explained very well, Egan points out the hypocrisy in the rationale of people thinking this way. Any substance taken in large doses is harmful to any human. Even something as healthy as water is bad in large doses. Although this is not a big part of his argument and does not explicitly say why marijuana is good for one or for the nation, it leads up to and adds to his claim of legalizing marijuana. The main argument for legalization and data that Egan gives is the tax revenue that will come from it. Egan arrives at this data by carefully studying the states that already have legalized medical marijuana including the District of Columbia and 18 other states. Washington State officials estimate that licensed marijuana stores will generate 532 million dollars in revenue every year. On top of that, legalization will decrease all the billions of dollars currently wasted on prosecuting and investigating marijuana cases. Money is being wasted on investigating marijuana cases while in reality most do not even get prosecuted or even fined. Since it is legal in some states and not others, enforcement of marijuana laws are clouded making the United States lose more money. If all states had the same rules it would be easier to regulate and gain an abundance of tax revenue from. Legalization of marijuana will benefit the United States as a nation. Egan agrees that a â€Å"whiff of positive and even monumental change is in the air†. He claims that legalization will benefit us tremendously in many ways, but specifically with the generation of revenue from tax. An influx of money from marijuana taxation would greatly help the United States with financial debt. Egan explicitly links his data to his claim by openly asking his audience to consider his data and apply it to the whole nation and then stating that the taxation would help the United States. He explains that the success from the state of Washington proves that other states will strive as well, thus adding to the success of the nation as a whole. Because there are so many issues and contradicting conflicts surrounding the issue of marijuana, Egan has to state his warrant to further emphasize his reasons for legalization and make apparent the change that could happen. The rhetor, Egan, suggests that the change will most likely happen by stating that â€Å"Obama is uniquely suited to make the argument for change. On his issue, he’ll have support from the libertarian right and the humanitarian left.† Egan implies that since 19 states have  already legalized the use of medical marijuana, many states will follow in their footsteps so it is only a matter of time. Unfortunately Egan had a very powerful qualifier that was not adequately explained. Egan implicitly argues that we, as a nation, should not wait for other states to slowly make the change to legalize. Obama and his administration have the power and more importantly the support to change it now. The lack of explaining this weakened a crucial part of his argument for national legalization. Egan believes national legalization should is needed soon rather than legalization by individual states. At the end of his speech he starts delving into his opinion he quickly adds how the law system is not enforced enough. Egan argues that with legalization nation wide, everyone would be on the same page, which is completely true. With nation wide legalization, the issue of use and abuse can be properly discussed and determined. He uses the example of alcohol and how campaigns against drunk driving have saved countless of lives when alcohol is so easy to obtain. This could be the same way as marijuana. With proper laws, marijuana could be regulated efficiently and safely. Unfortunately he only briefly states this and does not fully explain it clearly. He is implying that marijuana is a problem because congress has chosen to make it a problem because they decided not to deal with it. I thought this did not necessarily weaken his argument but left his audience thinking. Egan was successful at proving his point because of his strong claim, data, and warrant. He chose an engaging and interesting claim that is relatable to many Americans. The sets of data he chose to support his argument was tacitful because all Americans can benefit from money therefore everyone is in some way going to benefit from legalization. Egan makes clear the clouded stereotypes and stigma of marijuana and illuminates the truths involved. No matter our opinion or feelings on the issue, the presentation of information for the audience makes a very convincing argument. Work Cited: Egan, Timothy. â€Å"Give Pot a Chance.† Opinionator Give Pot a Chance Comments. New York Times, 22 Nov. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. .

The Treaty Of Versailles - Source Based Questions Essays

The Treaty Of Versailles - Source Based Questions Essays The Treaty of Versailles - Source Based Questions a) Many historians have viewed the Treaty of Versailles in varied contexts. Some historians support the German claim that the treaty was extremely harsh towards them while others seem to acknowledge the fact that the Treaty was anything but damaging to the Germans, as the Second World War seems to prove. But the most important aspect to focus on in the answering of this question is the concept of nationalism. Source C is a quotation found in a secondary source in the form of an extract from a speech made by a German MP in 1919. The claim of "inflicting the deepest wounds on us Germans" seems to be supported by Source B. Sources D and E, however, do not share the same viewpoint as the German MP in Source C. The peace treaty that marks the end of any Great War is almost always dictated by the victors; the Treaty of Versailles was no different. Georges Clemenceau of France, Llyod George of Britain and Woodrow Wilson of the USA were the three major players. Clemenceau wanted a harsh Treaty that would cripple Germany both economically and militarily so that she would never be a threat to France again, this aim of his is clearly represented in Clause 160 of Source B. But 100,000 men and 6 battle ships was a mere trifle compared to the extensive armies and rapidly developing technology that the super powers of those days possessed. Germany was left with nothing to defend herself with in case of invasion. Furthermore, the blame for starting the war and all the consequences thereof were fixed on Germany (Article 231). This in many senses was extremely unfair, as all the powers had played a role in the start of the First World War. Woodrow Wilson's 14 points were totally overshadowed by Clemenceau who succeeded in imposing his aims on the Treaty. Therefore I believe that Source B does adequately support the claim made in Source C. However, Sources D and E take a completely opposite viewpoint in comparison to Source B. The writers, imminent historians, argue that the Treaty in actual fact did nothing to diminish German power in any way. As the author of Source E notes: "The Treaty of Versailles was not excessively harsh on Germany, either territorially or economically." Humiliation is always a major part of defeat and defeat was not something that the Germans hoped to conceive in World War 1. They believed that they had to win and dictate terms. The Treaty of Versailles that resulted from their defeat also brought immense humiliation and that strong sense of nationalistic pride. After all, the Treaty was being signed in the very hall that had witnessed the defeat of France in 1871 at the hands of Prussia. This actual defeat that the Treaty of Versailles imposed upon them angered the Germans more than the actual terms of the Treaty. The historian in Source C aptly concludes: "However, the German people were expe cting victory and not defeat. It was the acknowledgement of defeat as much as the treaty terms themselves, which they found so hard to accept." b) The views expressed in Sources C, D and E are very much different. One must take into account several different factors that combine to produce this discrepancy. Firstly, the authors of Sources D and E are historians and possess something that the German MP in Source C doesn't and that is hindsight. They have had the opportunity to study the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles in retrospect and have examined the effects on Germany. They have studied the revival of the German economy and the Second World War. Therefore they are in a better position to judge whether or not the Treaty of Versailles was a crippling blow to Germany. The politician in Source C on the other hand is talking on the spur of the moment. The Treaty of Versailles might have been close to completion and the Treaty terms might have seemed a devastating conclusion. The very vision of impending collapse brought on by the treaty might have caused him to lash out in the way that he does. One

Death Essays - Animation, Angry Kid, Filmmaking, Free Essays

Death Essays - Animation, Angry Kid, Filmmaking, Free Essays Death All it takes is five seconds, and it can change your whole perspective about the word "Death". Last May a good friend of mine died, after falling off a bicycle. I couldn't comprehend the fact that he was dead for a few hours after my father told me. It seemed to me that just a moment ago I was playing basketball with him. He was only twelve but I knew him since he was very young. Actually he was almost a best friend to me. After his accident he was rushed to the hospital with a coma. Then after two weeks all his organs eventually failed. I was so na?ve. During the time he was in the hospital, I always told myself that he was going to be all right and he was going to be out of there in no time. But I was wrong, and I learned that life wasn't like that and it didn't always happen that way. Having a near death experience myself, my thoughts about death also took a different turn. I never thought death would even come near me. Last year in May, my sister, dad, and I were driving down to California. And it was about seven o'clock in the morning and my sister was driving. Then she fell asleep and starting driving off the road. She swerved back on the road really hard, which made the car flip over four times. Then we were rushed to the hospital and stayed there for about an hour. My sister and I were all right but my dad was in critical condition. My dad ended up only loosing his pinky finger. Just being in that situation made my outlook on life and death different. I couldn't bear the fact that my dad would be gone forever. Being a Christian I was brought up to believe that people who believe in Jesus Christ would have a greater destiny in heaven. But in these two situations with death, I wasn't able to think about them being gone and in heaven. I only ! thought about them being gone period. Watching all the hurts and tears that people shed during my friends death made me think about how death can be such an impact on peoples lives. People do not take death lightly. Their emotions and thoughts take a big twist and a lot of questions go through their thoughts like "What if that were my son"? Or "What if that was me"? Also regrets start creeping into peoples minds especially the parents. I started to regret not spending enough time with him and not being a good enough friend with him before he was gone. And I'm sure the parents also had familiar regrets. And now that that person is gone, there will always be a piece of my thoughts missing. There are thoughts that I had that were so repetitive and thoughts that I had so often that involved my friend. And now I have to change those thoughts and adjust them into thoughts that I would have of him not being around and gone forever. Having a close friend die also will force anybody to make changes in their lif! e, in their thoughts and in there every day act of living. This experience with death also made me have a sentimental attitude towards people that I don't even know, that have died. For instance, when I watch the news and someone has died, I usually just feel sorry for a few minutes and forget about it. But now I can relate to the families and friends of the person that had past away. Just a few days ago a very important man in my church died from cancer. He was also my principle in grade school. They announced his death Sunday morning during the church service. I again got to watch many people weep and mourn over this great man of stature. I got to see some friends of mine cry that I had never seen cry before. Which is another example how death can totally flip anyone's emotions. In conclusion, death is never easy to deal with. And death is something that you cannot help. If anyone close

Agencias para trabajar en cruceros y sueldos de empleos

Agencias para trabajar en cruceros y sueldos de empleos Los cruceros que inician sus viajes en un puerto de Estados Unidos  son una gran fuente de empleo de todo tipo de profesiones y trabajos. Unas 20 millones de personas se embarcan cada aà ±o en este tipo de cruceros para disfrutar sus vacaciones y para servirles las navieras recurren a trabajadores (tripulantes)  de todo tipo de nacionalidades. Agencias para trabajar en cruceros de EE.UU. Entre las principales empresas de cruceros que inician o finalizan sus viajes en  un puerto de Estados Unidos destacan, entre otros, Carnival Cruises Line, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises USA, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises. Para conseguir un trabajo en un crucero en ocasiones es posible contactar directamente con la empresa pero frecuentemente delegan el trabajo de seleccionar empleados a agencias con las que trabajan y que pueden estar ubicadas en Estados Unidos o en otros paà ­ses. Las siguientes agencias no cobran dinero a la persona que busca trabajo a cambio de informacià ³n, de entrevistarlo o de embarcarlo. Su negocio est en escoger buenos trabajadores y la empresa de crucero les paga por ello. Por otro lado, algunas pueden brindar cursos para adquirir conocimientos para el trabajo o para mejorar el idioma inglà ©s. Por su ubicacià ³n destacan las siguientes agencias: Argentina: Cauw International Group: Infocauwing.comCrew Cruise: crewcruisegmail.comGlobal Recruitment Agency: holaglobalrecruitment.com.arInternational Ship Management Agency: 54-11-43-43-4410 Colombia: Ibercoll S.AS. 571-2350023The Seven Seas Group Costa Rica: The Seven Seas Group Espaà ±a: MobicacrewSovren Crew. 34-971-677-375The Seven Seas Group Estados Unidos: The Apollo GroupCTI Recruitment and Placement Agency. 1-954-568-5900. Infocti-usa.com Guatemala: Guatemala Seamans Service Agency: 502-7948- 2016. crewmember.gt.lorinissaggmail.com Honduras: Honduras Seamans Office Srl Mà ©xico: Mexicrew: applymexicrew.comPersohotel International. 988-892-4474. infoempleocruceros.com.mx Panam: Panama Marine Services. 507-393-9281 Perà º: CRC Cruise Recruiting Consulting. (51-1) 521-1672. Informescrc-peru.com Tipos de empleos en cruceros Pueden encontrarse las siguientes categorà ­as de empleos en los cruceros: Oficiales, como capitn y ayudantes. Es muy comà ºn que todos los oficiales de un barco sean de la misma nacionalidad.   Personal encargado del mantenimiento y buen funcionamiento del barco, son lo que se conoce en inglà ©s como deck and engine room jobs. Las profesiones dentro de esta categorà ­a son muy variadas y requieren distinto tipo de conocimiento, por ejemplo: Mantenimiento (jefe y subordinados), jefe de seguridad, ingeniero jefe y subordinados, electricista, plomero (fontanero), etc. Empleados en labores de diversià ³n, comprende actividades tan dispares como instructores de natacià ³n y gimnasio, trabajadores de casino, guà ­as turà ­sticos, mà ºsicos, disc jockeys, anfitriones y artistas. En esta categorà ­a es muy comà ºn que se requiera tener como idioma materno el inglà ©s o hablarlo a nivel casi nativo. Trabajos relacionados con servicios, incluye desde personal de cocina y comedores a limpiadores de camarotes y empleados de las tiendas. Personal para el cuidado de los turistas, incluye desde mà ©dicos y enfermeras a peluqueras, masajistas y manicuristas, etc. Como regla general, en todos los cruceros el alojamiento y la comida es gratis para todos los miembros de la tripulacià ³n. Finalmente, los contratos suelen ser de unos seis meses, aunque frecuentemente se prorrogan. Sueldos medio de empleos en un crucero Los cruceros que salen o acaban su viaje en un puerto de EE.UU. suelen brindar a sus trabajadores salarios similares, segà ºn datos de, entre otros, Glassdoor e Indeed, son los siguientes: Oficiales: son  puestos de mayor responsabilidad y mejor pagados. Los salarios varà ­an segà ºn la posicià ³n y experiencia. Capitn: entre $6,000 y $10,000 al mesAyudantes del capitn: Entre $5,000 y $7,000 al mesPrimer oficial: Entre $4,000 y $5,000 al mes Profesionales encargados del mantenimiento y buen funcionamiento del barco.  Ejemplos de salarios medios: Oficial de seguridad: de $2,500 a $3,500Handyman  (mantenimiento). Entre $1,800 y $2,500 al mesAyudantes del handyman,  lo que se conoce en inglà ©s como able seaman y hacen labores bsicas de limpieza y reparacià ³n. Entre $1,500 y $1,800.Ingeniero jefe: Entre $5,500 y $8,500Electricista jefe: entre $3,000 y $4,000 al mesElectricista: Entre $2,000 y $2,400 al mesPlomero (fontanero): entre $1,600 y $2,400 Otros tripulantes Un buen nà ºmero de tripulantes contratados en un crucero trabajan en la cocina. Las posiciones son muy variadas, asà ­ como el conocimiento de inglà ©s que se exige y el nivel de experiencia. Los sueldos tambià ©n son muy diferentes. Algunos ejemplos: Chef: como mà ­nimo, $4,000 al mesSous Chef Ejecutivo: a partir de $3,800 al mesSous Chef: entre $3,400 y $5,800 al mes1er cocinero: aproximadamente $2,000  al mes2do cocinero: entre $1,600 y $2,200 al mes3er cocinero: a partir de los $1,400 al mes. Esta posicià ³n y las anteriores requieren un excelente conocimiento del idioma inglà ©sPersonal bsico de cocina: entre $900 y $1,200Personal de limpieza (dishwasher), entre $500 y $600 al mes. Estas dos à ºltimas posiciones pueden ser desempeà ±adas por personas con conocimiento muy bsico del inglà ©s. No se requiere experiencia.Personal de comedores, bares y cafeterà ­as que no tienen un buen conocimiento del inglà ©s o carecen de experiencia como apoyo a camareros,  preparacià ³n de snacks, etc. El sueldo se fija por contrato  suele ir entre los $350 a los $500 a la semana.Gerente de tiendas: a partir de $2,200 al mesVendedor en tienda: a partir de $1,400 al mes Tripulantes con salario y propinas (tips) Trabajan con los clientes y tienen un buen conocimiento verbal del inglà ©s. Tambià ©n es frecuente que para desempeà ±ar este tipo de empleo se pida experiencia en el puesto de trabajo o estudios que lo califiquen. Ejemplos promedio de salarios de propinas, que varà ­an grandemente segà ºn el tipo de barco y recorrido: Mesero/a de barra de bar (Bar Waiter): entre $1,000 y $2,500 al mesAsistente de mesero de comedor (Busboy): entre $1,500 y $3,000 al mesBarman: entre $1,500 y $3,000 al mesMesero/a (camarero) de comedor: $2,500 a $4,000 al mes Como regla general puede decirse que los salarios son superiores al salario mà ­nimo en Estados Unidos. Documentacià ³n para trabajar en un crucero Para trabajar en un crucero que inicia, acaba o viaje tocando un puerto de Estados Unidos es necesario tener un documento que autorice a trabajar. Los trabajadores extranjeros que no tienen una green card pueden solicitar una visa. Puede ser de dos tipos: la D, para miembros de un barco que toca EE.UU. y necesitan trabajar para el funcionamiento del mismo y la C1/D cuando el trabajador necesita ingresar a EE.UU. para embarcar en el crucero en el que va a trabajar. Finalmente, cabe destacar que los trabajadores en cruceros que son estadounidenses o tienen una tarjeta de residencia permanente pagan impuestos en EE.UU. Sin embargo, los extranjeros con visa C1/D no tienen que pagar impuestos en Estados Unidos, si bien hay excepciones en funcià ³n de acuerdos internacionales. Puntos Clave: Cà ³mo conseguir trabajo en un crucero y salarios medios  ¿Cà ³mo conseguir trabajo en un crucero que sale de un puerto de EE.UU.?: contactando directamente con la empresa (en algunos casos) o con una agencia que trabaja con dichas empresas. ¿Quà © no debe hacerse?: no debe pagarse a ninguna agencia por folletos, libros, entrevistas o por embarcar. ¿Es necesario hablar inglà ©s?: sà ­, pero el nivel que se exige depende del tipo de trabajo que se realiza. ¿Cul es el salario medio?: Hay grandes diferencias segà ºn el trabajo que se desempeà ±a. En general, incluso en los peor pagados el sueldo es superior al salario mà ­nimo en EE.UU. Adems, est incluido alojamiento y manutencià ³n y en muchos casos uniforme e incluso lavanderà ­a. ¿Quà © visa se necesita?: Si el crucero solo toca un puerto de EE.UU. es suficiente la visa D. Por el contrario, si es necesario viajar a EE.UU. para embarcarse en el barco en el que se va a trabajar es necesaria la visa C1/D. ¿Se pagan impuestos en EE.UU. si se tiene una visa C1/D?: como re gla general, no se pagan impuestos, salvo acuerdo internacional entre EE.UU. y el paà ­s de origen del trabajador. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

The Regions of Europe Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Regions of Europe - Research Paper Example The diversified nature of the Vojvodina can be well grasped with the presence of well over 26 ethnic groups within the region that has left the region with no other option but to give a total of six languages the status of the official language. If Vojvodina is an autonomous province within Serbia then Kosovo moves even a step further. Kosovo is an all together disputed territory after the break up of Yugoslavia. It claims itself as Republic of Kosovo yet has managed only partial recognition till date. Serbia claims it a region under UN control and does not confer the republican status to Kosovo. Both these places of Serbia (leaving the ambiguity of past and present aside), namely Vojvodina and Kosovo attracts attention owing to their unique existence. The present paper will highlight both these places in terms of their location, geography, history demography, major cities and economy; starting with Vojvodina. Vojvodina Location: Vojvodina is placed at the northern part of Serbia. To be precise it is in the famous Pannonian Plain of Central Europe. The total area of the region is 21,506 kilometers that accounts for one fourth of the total Serbian territory. Vojvodina has common boundaries with Hungary (North), Romania (East), Croatia (West) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (South West). (Bogunovic) Map of Vojvodina (ADAGIO) Geography: Before explaining the topography of the region, it is important to highlight the reasons behind such topography. As mentioned earlier that the region is a part of the Pannonin plain, hence it shares mostly a flat landscape with fertile soil well suited for cultivation. Again Danube, Sava and Tisza the three main rivers that run through the region have divided it into three geographical regions, namely Backa, Banat and Syrmia. Though it has been mentioned earlier that the region demonstrates a predominantly flat landscape but owing to the presence of Fruska Gora Mountain in Syrmia region and Vrsacke Planine Mountain at South East Banat, topography of both the regions differs from that of Vojvodina in general. (Bogunovic) One of the distinctive features of the place is the presence of a wet land amidst the region. Gornje Podunavlje which was designated as a wetland around four years back in 2007 has an area of 224.8 square kilometres and is the largest in Serbia. A much smaller wet land with 9.76 square kilometres of area Slano Kopovo also is in Vojvodina. (Serbia) Vojvodina’s climate is shaped by the air from northern and western Europe that results in a continental climate all over the place. The annual average temperature is 11.0 degree centre grade. In January it is lowest at -0.7 degree centre grade and in July it is highest at 21.3 degree centre grade. Annual precipitation is 602.0 mm with a relative humidity of 75%. Evaporation at the mentioned place is 738 mm on an average. It is worth mentioning that the above cited climate related statistics is an average of 50 years (1949-1999) over 12 places. (ADA GIO) History: The area shares a rich history and from ancient times it has been handed over from one monarchy to the other. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was last of the monarchs who were in charge of Vojvodina. After the collapse of the Empire at the end of First World War the region became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Later (1929-1941) it became known as

The case of The Office of Fair Trading vs Abbey National Plc & Others Literature review

The case of The Office of Fair Trading vs Abbey National Plc & Others - Literature review Example The appeal starts by Lord Walker. In The appeal, the Supreme court was to give a verdict as whether the OFT should go ahead and undertake investigations to find out if the charges â€Å"the Banks†, which were the appellants, made for unauthorized overdrafts by their customers were fair. At the moment, banks provided retail banking services on grounds that customers’ accounts that lend the bank money are excluded from paying charges to the bank for services offered. Customers whose accounts had authorized overdrafts only paid charges for the money they borrow â€Å"the Banks†. Customers whose accounts had unauthorized overdrafts, however, paid interest on money borrowed besides paying fixed fees for every service they received from â€Å"the banks†. The Office of Fair Trading holds investigative powers on consumer contracts’ fairness terms. The power of the Office of Fair Trading, however, has limitations bound to it. The limitations stipulated in th e Unfair Contract Terms, in Consumer Regulations 1999. The Unfair Contract Terms, in Consumer Regulations 1999, implemented European Council Directive 93/13/EEC. The directives help protect customers and ensure a favorable business environment for fair trading. OFT has the mandate on undertaking this. The provisions regulation 6 (2) (b) give way for evaluate trading activities of a business enterprise or organization. OFT scrutinizes the activities so as to determine the level of fairness of the activities. The OFT scrutinizes contracts and customer satisfaction to determine their fairness. In the case the court of appeal did hold the point of exclusion in the case only to the contracts’ â€Å"core terms†. The court excluded ancillary terms as charges for unauthorized overdrafts on reasons that the charges were within the exclusion. The charges, according to the court, were part of the charges for banking services provided. At first instance ([2008] EWHC 875 (Comm), an d in the Court of Appeal, OFT was successful. Under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, the Office of Fair Trading wished to conduct an investigation on â€Å"the Banks’† relevant terms in their contracts with customers by imposing charges on customers whose accounts had unauthorized overdrafts. The Office of Fair Trade hold mandate to undertake the investigation, notwithstanding regulation 6 (2) (b).The decision of both the High Court and the Court of Appeal that regulation 6 (2) (b) could not deter the OFT from doing the investigation made â€Å"the banks† to file appeal. Lord Walker emphasized the lack of decision on the fairness of the system of charging current account customers with unauthorized overdrafts. The court could only decide on the investigative mandate of the OFT (para 3). Lord Mance reaffirmed the investigative roles of OFT (para 61). Determining whether charges were consisted ‘cost and revenue’ as against â₠¬Ëœthe goods or services distributed in exchange’ within the meaning of the Regulations was the main point to decide on. First, charges were ‘in exchange’ for the transactions to which they relate should the customer have inadequate funds to do so (Para 75). Secondly, regulation 6 (2) (b) no longer had a standing to the â€Å"ancillary† charges in the binding form (Paras 38-41, 47, 78, 112)1. In his reasoning, Lord Mance stated that, if in case the contracts were to serve as the package, then the charges levied would be fair. He further states that the charges

Canopic Jar with a Lead in the Form of a Baboons Head Article - 1

Canopic Jar with a Lead in the Form of a Baboons Head - Article Example The Baboon at the top of the canopic jar is linked with Nephthys who was a goddess that guided and protected Isis, her sister to bring together the different parts of Osiris’s body after he was killed and thrown into the Nile. A vital component of the mummy was a mask that resembled a headdress that was positioned over the crown of the frame that wrapped in linen. The mask had characteristically young-looking physical characteristics that were not supposed to demonstrate similarity to the departed but exhibit a perfect appearance of their presence in the life after death. This particular example possesses many typical features that are characteristic of these masks and it was made using cartonnage that is a material which is light in weight which is formed by coating layers of linen with plaster. The deific position of the person wearing it is symbolized by the skin which is gold-plated and the extension was used as a symbolism of the deific position of the person wearing it. The mask has a decorated collar with a gold-plated and winged scarab beetle on the head that was believed to promote the rebirth of the departed. The mask is believed to have been created between 332 and 30 BC and apart from linen and plaster that was used to make the mask, papyrus, pigment, and gold were also used. The dimensions of the mask are fourteen inches by ten and a half inches and the iconography of this mask is characteristically pharaonic where the wings and the sun disc that symbolize the scarab beetle that is linked to the rising and setting of the sun and therefore rebirth (Budge 185).

Final Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final - Personal Statement Example The employees got a chance to know each other better while they shared food in those short breaks. There are many theories of motivation that can be used to increase employee performance. Three theories of motivation that can help increase employee performance are Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, equity theory, and expectancy theory. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is based on a pyramid that ranks the five most important needs of workers. The five needs in order of important from least to most important are physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. By identifying the needs that drive each employee a manager can better find the things that motivate each of his employees. Equity theory was developed by John Stacey Adam in 1963. Equity theory states that, â€Å"when people feel fairly or advantageously treated they are more likely to be motivated; when they feel unfairly treated they are highly prone to feelings of disaffection and demotivation† (Yourcoach, 2010). Eliminating income discrepancies among workers with similar work experience and educat ional credentials is a great way to motivate workers since the staff will feel they are equally valued. Vroom’s expectancy theory is based on the assumption that motivation is associated with the belief of the employee in regards to effort and performance considerations. I was in the middle of an ethical dilemma a few years ago due to misbehavior by my supervisor. There was a promotion in the firm and several in-house candidates applied for the position including myself. A rumor surged that the son in law of one of the executives was going to get the job due to preferential treatment based on family connections. The supervisor denied the rumor, but at the end of the day he gave in to political pressures within the firm and gave the job to the son in law of the manager. I did not like the lack of ethics illustrated by this firm. When my contract expired I stopped working for that firm. In the

Should Convicted Felons Have The Right to Vote Assignment

Should Convicted Felons Have The Right to Vote - Assignment Example It is the duty of the society to halt the downward march to destruction and inspire one to the upward march of moral elevation to make one a worthy individual and citizen. The conclusion is obvious. The convicted felons need to be given the right to vote. Most of the crimes are generally committed at the spur of the moment, when one loses the balance of mind. He suffers through the period of conviction and the prison has never been a pleasant place for any individual, notwithstanding the amenities provided. â€Å"The legal authority of a State to revoke an inmate’s voting rights is based upon the Fourteenth Amendment. State laws on allowing convicted felons to participate in elections vary widely. Forty-eight states deny the vote to at least some felons; only Vermont and Maine let felons vote. Thirty-three states withhold the right to vote from those on parole. Eight deny felons the vote for life, unless they petition to have their rights restored, such as Alabama and Florida. New Jersey and Connecticut allow former felons to vote once they have completed parole. Nationally, about 4.2 million convicted felons cannot vote.†(Stukes, 2010) A straightforward answer cannot be provided to the question whether the convicted felons need to be given the right to vote. The immediate reaction is what sort of a felon? All felons are not alike and the gravity of their crimes is not alike. The 14th amendment specifically permits states to disfranchise citizens convicted of participation in rebellion, or other crime. How an enemy of the country be given the right to vote? Legally, the federal government may not infringe upon the authority of the state to give and not to give the voting rights to prison inmates and former felons. The spirit of the American Constitution is, it swears by democracy. But party politics has engulfed the issue to a great extent. This appeals to the Democrats because a large number of felons are African-Americans, the

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 190

Summary - Essay Example Moreover, another problem is that women often can’t find financially reliable men, as the majority of available men are lack of jobs. One more reason for one-parent families is that women are capable of managing themselves along with their children without men because of getting a great support from government. However, this pattern indeed works for Sweden but is less applicable to Iceland. There are certain programs of financial support that help single mothers in raising their children. Furthermore, the main argument why women have become more capable of living without men is the raise of women’s employment that has developed so far. Women can afford raise their expenses and omit financial support from men because more and more women are getting high-paid positions. Even though marriage has multiple advantages, including financial factors, still many people (especially it concerns women) worldwide keep choosing raising their children all by themselves, because it may be easier for them and they don’t want to get involved into relationships or marriage bond. As far as the structure of family has changed a lot so far, the problem of elderly people and the generation they form has risen rapidly and became an issue for many countries. The point is that generations have stopped living together and the elderly people often can’t take care of themselves; moreover, they can’t move in their children’s places and stay with them in order to get care from their relatives. The article â€Å"The Changing Family and â€Å"Social Security†: A Look at Japan† describes how Japan deals with this problem nowadays. The way that Japanese typical family used to be constructed was that young people lived together with their parents and it was a kind of moral debt to take care of their parents when they become old. However, the tradition has been changed so far and now only 9 percent of families live according to this filial piety model of family. Hence,

Should Convicted Felons Have The Right to Vote Assignment

Should Convicted Felons Have The Right to Vote - Assignment Example It is the duty of the society to halt the downward march to destruction and inspire one to the upward march of moral elevation to make one a worthy individual and citizen. The conclusion is obvious. The convicted felons need to be given the right to vote. Most of the crimes are generally committed at the spur of the moment, when one loses the balance of mind. He suffers through the period of conviction and the prison has never been a pleasant place for any individual, notwithstanding the amenities provided. â€Å"The legal authority of a State to revoke an inmate’s voting rights is based upon the Fourteenth Amendment. State laws on allowing convicted felons to participate in elections vary widely. Forty-eight states deny the vote to at least some felons; only Vermont and Maine let felons vote. Thirty-three states withhold the right to vote from those on parole. Eight deny felons the vote for life, unless they petition to have their rights restored, such as Alabama and Florida. New Jersey and Connecticut allow former felons to vote once they have completed parole. Nationally, about 4.2 million convicted felons cannot vote.†(Stukes, 2010) A straightforward answer cannot be provided to the question whether the convicted felons need to be given the right to vote. The immediate reaction is what sort of a felon? All felons are not alike and the gravity of their crimes is not alike. The 14th amendment specifically permits states to disfranchise citizens convicted of participation in rebellion, or other crime. How an enemy of the country be given the right to vote? Legally, the federal government may not infringe upon the authority of the state to give and not to give the voting rights to prison inmates and former felons. The spirit of the American Constitution is, it swears by democracy. But party politics has engulfed the issue to a great extent. This appeals to the Democrats because a large number of felons are African-Americans, the

Recruitment and Army Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Army Essay 1.0 Opportunities and dangers to be considered by the Army in externalising the recruitment processes. a. Preston (2012 P.36) shows how the two-way process of recruitment ‘should be as much about the applicant finding out whether the business is right for them as about whether they are deemed acceptable by the business’. c. Having employment opportunities for the soldiers who are being made redundant will allow the knowledge and experience of ex-soldiers to remain forefront of recruitment helping recruiting the right person be more effective. An explanation by Preston (2012, P.36) tells us how if ‘appointees don’t fit then profitability is affected’; this key can show that the benefits of externalization will bring spending cuts by selecting only the right persons increasing retention. d. Being seen as ‘perverse’ is a danger because if the Army gives a bad image of high staff redundancies while spending highly on hiring this could be open to stereotypic views as Preston explains ‘Many people are deterred from entering certain professions because of general stereotypical images which exist in their society or culture’ (2012, P.38). Col Richard Kemp in the case study says how ‘previously using a civilian company was not a success’. This could have a detrimental impact upon future recruits if the civilian company cannot deliver what is expected. It will also have an  impact upon the Army’s image if it doesn’t work out the second time round. 2.0 Methods of selection and their advantages and disadvantages for selecting soldiers. Interviews – Used to understand key facts of the job and recruit for either parties and determine suitability to one another. This method is an opportunity the Army can utilize to lay out main facts of what they have to offer. It’s also a chance for the recruit to decide whether or not they are happy with the opportunities. The advantage to the Army using this method would remove unexpected expectation at an early stage reducing cost from training soldiers who realized it’s not what they thought at a later stage. The disadvantage however would be that interviews are seen as ‘too subjective to the individual and place a ‘cloud’ over an individual’s ability (Preston, 2012 P.43) Tests – Used to measure a person’s ability and aptitude relevant to the job. This Method would allow the Army to see suitability of potentials under set tests giving a further indication on whether the Army is a job the candidate is suitable for before subjecting them to full training further reducing cost at an earlier convenience. Preston (2012) also explains that this can also be a way to reduce inherent subjectivity of the interview method. This method has disadvantages of not being able to incorporate all what the Amy needs to see as some areas of the Army require more subjective tests. This can increase costs if at a later stage the applicant is found unable to cope with certain areas of the job and pulls out. Assessment Centre – Can show the applicant in certain situations relevant to the job. This shows the Army the recruits in a role play scenario or group activity which can indicate the applicant’s ability under a selection of techniques in multiple combinations. This can incorporate a more subjective assessment of the individual so it can be determined further whether the Army can offer a position to the recruit. This would help the Army in selecting those who are of correct skill level generating more quality recruits increasing retention. However the assessment centers only provide the Army with a short insight to certain scenarios as the Army is a specialized area of recruitment the individual cannot be seen faced with all possible problems the recruit may encounter as  a soldier. 3.0 Recommendations for organising induction and socialisation of newly hired soldiers to enhance retention. Induction is whereby a new recruit is welcomed into the organisation through a short term introduction to areas shown by Preston (2012, P45) like what their job description is, what’s expected of them or underlining policies and procedures. Such inductions are critical to the Army as it helps new recruits become accustomed to their surroundings and allows them to adopt the organisational culture and written rules helping them understand what is expected and what is accepted. Typical activities include group welcoming (showing videos), simple team working (to help get to know each other) and tours of the premises (to learn the surroundings). Socialisation is a long term process shown by Preston (2012) to ‘help understand in terms how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. This would be of importance to help the Army ensure the recruits are following the correct procedures and polices but also helping to keep track of the recruit’s process ensuring they are settling in and managing well. To help the activities could include meetings to see the recruit’s progression, group socialising to help with settling, appraisals to show they are doing well and promotions to help encourage further progression. To help improve retention and reduce dropouts induction techniques recommended would be having already serving soldiers at a welcome day to have questions asked and stories from first hand experiences. As documented by Harding (2011) in the case study ‘the most effective recruiters were young soldiers who had already served on operations’. This could expel any rumors and help new recruits understand the demands of Army life at an early stage. This technique would also allow the introduction of policies and procedures and what to expect. Using mentoring as a socialising technique would give recruits quantitative information based on their progression into the business and how well they are integrating into the  role. This information can be persuading for new recruits to show them they are on the right track and doing well, resulting in increased momentum and a desire to keep going. As Preston (2012) says ‘socialisation is understanding how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. Mentoring through the early stages can keep track of the recruit and provide them with the help and support to succeed in turn, reducing dropouts and increasing quality recruits. References: Harding T. (2011) ‘Army to pay civilian firm  £1bn to recruit new soldiers’ The Telegraph 11 October [Online]. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8819327/ Army-to-pay-civilian-firm- £1bn-to-recruit-new-soldiers.html (Accessed 1 September 2014). Preston, D (2012), An introduction to human resource management in business, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Prà ©cis: From the tutor group forum discussions I have learnt that there are many views on what people have in the work place. The work place HRM polices and business cultures can be dramatically different from business to business and different people have different views on them and how they incorporate them into their working lives. Activity 2.3 shown how businesses HRM polices and culture can mix well or clash badly as such Pauls Bourne shows how that if people of a work place buy into the ‘norm’ this can sometimes override what the HRM polices state resulting in problems. However that HRM polices should be a state of first call when people need to be reminded what is truly expected of them in the place of work. All the ideas coming together has taught me to think more logically about the place I work and how the business culture is upheld through normal behaviour of people through unwritten rules up to the policies and procedures in place to help maintain a uniformed business. Reference: Bourne P, (2014) ‘Activity 2.3 HRM and Culture’ The Open University 19 November 2014 [Online]. Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/forumng/discuss.php?d=1210164 (accessed 25 November 2014).

Impact of the Cold War On Vietnam Economy

Impact of the Cold War On Vietnam Economy After two protracted wars with the French colonial empire, followed by a thirty year conflict with the US superpower, Vietnam was economically devastated. However, during the following forty years Vietnam has developed a vibrant and progressive economy and gradually achieved recognition as a major economic power within the South East Asian region. Since the unification in 1975, economic growth was identified as the most important factor in the strategic development of Vietnam. However, the first decade following the end of the war with the US was one in which the Cold War had a significant impact upon the Vietnam economy. Vietnam was lead by the Communist party and aligned its political and economic policies to strict socialist principles that mirrored the Soviet model and based decision-making on strict Communist criteria; (i) State or collective ownership of production means; (ii) Government administered supply of physical input and output; (iii) Lack of business autonomy, absence of factor markets, highly regulated goods and services markets; and (iv) A bias toward heavy industry in investments. (Vo Tri Thanh and Nguyen Thu Anh, (2006) Eaber Working Paper series: Paper No.8 Institutional changes for private sector development in Vietnam. p.3) The government policy meant that Vietnam was limited to trade mainly with other Communist countries and the outcome was a dramatic decline in the Vietnam economy and increasing poverty amongst the vast majority of the population. Further conflicts with China in 1979 and Cambodia in 1978 placed Vietnam in a position of further weakness and rather than concentrate on economic recovery, the improvement of labour skills, and agricultural and consumer goods production the Government focused on the building up of heavy industry. This period of Sovietisation brought even further problems for the Vietnam economy and the virtual decade of stagnation only began to end in 1986 with the introduction of Doi Moi.(Bui That Thang, (2001)After the war: 25 years of Economic Development in Vietnam, NIRA Review , p21-22). With consumption regularly greater than national income and numerous periods of famine relieved only by foreign aid, the decade from 1976 to 1986 marked a period of economic collapse i n Vietnam, and was only ended with the introduction of Doi Moi as the point marking when Vietnam switched from the Soviet model to a drive towards a free market economy. The renovation (Doi Moi) in 1986 brought about a dramatic change for post war Vietnam, as described by Thanh and Ha ( social inequality.., chap2 p63) who declare it a real turning point in the history of Vietnams economic development . It was shifted from a centrally planned economy to a new system of a market oriented economy. An important factor to note is that the decision to move towards a free market and thus, politically and ideologically change the basis of the Vietnam economy was made prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Vietnamese Government realised that the Soviet model was failing and that Vietnam faced a major economic crisis, with acute shortages of food, basic consumer goods, and inputs to agriculture and industry, and a growing external debt.(Thanh and Anh, 2006, p.3). It was decided to establish synchronous institutions of a market economy by socialism orientation (Ibid, p.2). The end of Cold War in 1991 followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union was a new challenge to Vietnam. Fortunately, Vietnam was already reforming its political and economic sectors by the time the collapse of the Soviet Union had ended and economic growth, policies to reduce macroeconomic instability and to introduce a multi-ownership structure were already in place. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union still meant that Vietnam faced a new future without the ideologically committed support of a Super Power, isolating Vietnam from much of the international community, a problems exasperated by the continued control of the country by the Communist Party. However, this essay will argue that although the major factor that impacted on many of the Eastern European countries for example, was the decline and fall of Communist administrations, in the case of Vietnam, the Communist Party remained in power, and provided the stability and security that provided the right conditions for imp ressive levels of continuous economic growth that has made Vietnam one of the tiger economies of South East Asia. It will also argue that the political and economic future of Vietnam is dependent on Vietnam remaining one of the most politically and security stable countries in South east Asia, and that stability is borne from the Communist party remaining in control of the country. This contrasts with the former Soviet Union countries who have made their economic futures dependent on the political system rejecting all the tenets of Communism and moving not only from a centrally controlled economy but also rejecting the idea of a one- party system. However, Vietnam has remained true to its political identity as a socialist republic while allowing reforms in politics and economics that has finally brought it recognition as a truly open and free market economy that has recently been rewarded with membership of the World Trade Organisation. The essay will follow the path through this process of reform and demonstrate how the economy has managed to develop to international recognition as one of the fastest growing economies in the World and still remained Communist. The end of the Cold War was universally seen as the end of Communism, and yet, like China, the Vietnam economy has been transformed whilst not drastically reforming the political system, which has remained true to the thoughts of Ho Chi Minh and commiserate with Marxist Leninism. The Communist Party still remains in power in Vietnam and its economic success is likely to re-enforce the belief that it will retain political control over the nation for decades to come. This essay will show how the Communist Party has managed to transform its economy and remain socialist. Prior to 1980s, Vietnam was still a backward agricultural country. In addition, as a socialist country, Vietnams economy was controlled and developed by a centrally planned system modelled on the Soviet Union. The Government played the dominant role in almost all activities and people who worked for government were paid by the system of budget subsidies. And all the trading actions were dominated by large State owned Enterprises that had collectivised almost all areas of economic activity, while private business was virtually non-existent (Pham, 2005,p4). Unfortunately, because of the mismatch between the management and the actual practices of the government, the economy of Vietnam didnt achieve any of their economic targets laid down in subsequent four year plans. The leaders then realised that centrally planned system was not a good structure for Vietnams development and whilst the Soviet Union was dramatically moving towards political collapse for the same reasons, Vietnams Commun ist Party believed that its ideological control over the country through one-party rule would actually have a positive impact on economic reform by providing an environment of stability and security, whilst establish an economy based upon capitalist principles, free markets and an open door set of policies. The Communist Party identified eight major policies of reform that would be used to bring about a complete transition of the economy and these were: Almost complete price liberalization; Large devaluation and unification of the exchange rate; Increases in interest rates to positive levels in real terms; Substantial reduction in subsidies to the SOE sector; Agricultural reforms through replacement of cooperatives by households as the basic decision-making unit in production and security of tenure for farm families; Encouragement of the domestic private sector and foreign direct investment (FDI); Removal of domestic trade barriers and creation of a more open economy. (Thanh and Anh, p.6). The main point here is that these are all significant movements towards policies found in the capitalist West and were only possible in the former Soviet client states such as Poland and East Germany by also moving the political systems towards the Western democracy model. However, the Sixth Congress of the Vietnamese Communist Party-1986 believed that reform could follow the basic practical policies of the Western democracies but remain true to Communism by actually increasing state control and management and macro regulation. Communism would allow stability to remain in the political arena and the economic policies would themselves be directed towards maintaining socialist targets. This mix of socialist and capitalist policies to retain some level of equity amongst the general society is one now being discussed by many of the mainland European Union members who now identify a full Communist regime as still unacceptable, but the monetarist free market economy as equally at fault in the wake of the major financial crisis at the end of 2008. However, the main contention is that Vietnam remains a one party system, but there is very little evidence of any deep protest or wish to change this system by the vast majority of the Vietnamese population. Although we are examining here the performance of Vietnam since the Cold War it is thus essential to understand that unlike Russia and the former members of the USSR, Vietnam was able to transform its economy without major political regime change. (Thang, 2001, p.3). in the following paragraphs we look at how this was possible. Up to 1990 the Doi Moi reforms did bring about a number of improvements in the economy. From 1989 onwards, Vietnam was on the way to becoming one of the three main big rice exporters in the world, many state subsidies were disappearing and SOEs were constantly warned to reform and restructure, but not immediately encouraged to denationalize. Over these years the growth rate hovered around the 4.5% mark and the reforms were only slowly impacting upon Vietnams overall economic performance. Doi Moi involved a commitment to dismantling cooperatives and shifting production away from a household economy to the private sector, whilst also restructuring the state-owned sector to be more competitive. However, the real impact of policies changes did not really take effect until post-1990.The outcome was significant development with the GDP growth averaging 8.5% from 1990 to 1997 and averaging 6.5% from 1998 to 2003. Average foreign trade and Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) improved to nearly $18 billion USD by 2007 and agricultural production doubled from 1990 to 2005, while exports reached $49 billion USD per year by 2007. The per capita income rose from $220 USD in 1994 to $832 by 2007 and industrial production went from 27.3% of GDP in 1985 to 41.6% in 2007. Many industries reached impressive rates of growth, such as in the production of oil which went from 40,000 tons in 1986 to 7.6 million tons in 1990 and 12.5 million tons in 1998 (Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Thang (2007) For eign Direct Investment in Vietnam: an overview and analysis. MPRA Archive Paper No1921). In the final part of this essay we concentrate on how FDI has been example of how the Communist Party, its policies of reform and the growth of the economy have become interlinked in bringing about a successful basis for even greater levels of development in the future. The levels of development are impressive with a reduction in the inflation rate from a nightmarish 774% in 1986 to a manageable 7.5% in 2006, while also achieving a poverty reduction level of 22% in 2005 from the 58.1% recorded in 1993. By 2007 there were 7067 FDI projects with a capital of $63.5billion US. This dramatic success was as a result of the following factors: Strategic location Stable economic and political environment Large natural mineral resources A young and well-educated workforce The ability to be an export platform for US and EU markets Liberal investment environment and a commitment by the Government to economic reform. In Vietnam it is the changing attitudes of the Communist Party and the Government towards the foreign economic sector as an important step towards economic growth that has significantly assisted the improvement of the economy. Alongside this have been the increasing levels of economic competition from other countries in the region and advances in international commitments helped by a changing political and ideological approach to participating in global economic trade (2006, 180). A significant factor in encouraging this change in attitudes has been the realization that FDI has a vital role to play in the mobilization of capital, technology, organizational and managerial skills (21). The radical change in the Communist Party attitude towards FDI was the institutionalization of FDI as a separate economic sector and recognition that FDI was a vital driving forced towards the overall development of the Vietnam economy (ibid). The improvement in investment in Vietnam has been assisted by a commitment throughout business, government and society to improve the image and identity of Vietnam, not least being in its international participation in political and economic forums. (Pham Thi Huyen 2009 The Nationality Factor in Assessing Hanoi Investment Environment in Business Environment and Policies in Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam) A further example of well the Vietnam economy has developed under the guidance of the Communist Party is the increasing participation of Vietnam in international forums and the successful entry into international forums such as the World Trade Organisation. Viet Nam joined the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995, and committed to AFTA prior to the Enterprise Law reform period. Viet Nam also joined APEC in 1998.Vietnam has been an official member of WTO since 2007. Before that, there had been an increasingly strong public policy commitment to joining the WTO in recent years, and references were made to the need to reform to join the WTO in the policy debate on private sector development during the 2nd half of the 1990s. The enterprise reforms have been consistent with efforts to join the WTO, and the desire to join WTO has strengthened the hand of those pushing for improvements in the regulatory environment for business during the reform of the Enterprise Law . How ever, it is difficult to assess the extent to which the desire to join the WTO provided impetus for the Enterprise Law reforms Results, Challenges and Prospects, Vietnams Socio-Economic Development: A Social Science Review, No.31, Autumn Doanh, Le Dang, (2002), Foreign Direct Investment in Viet Nam: While it is difficult to identify connections between aspirations to join regional and international bodies and the Enterprise Law reforms, contacts with regional and international bodies have almost certainly helped the reform process. The economic performance of other ASEAN members and China are important benchmarks with which Viet Nams policy makers often compare their own performance. Even prior to joining ASEAN, Vietnamese officials went on study tours to ASEAN member countries to study issues related to improving the enabling environment for business development. A crucial development in the reform of the economy of Vietnam was the new Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) between Viet Nam and the USA, which was signed in December 2001, well after the major Enterprise Law reforms had been implemented. The private sector reforms implemented during the 2nd half of the 1990s almost certainly helped the process of reaching agreement on the BTA. This new agreement marked an important watershed in the relations not only between Vietnam and the US, but also the rest of the world. The signing of the agreement between Vietnam and its former enemy signified a leap forwards in the status of Vietnam and officially marked the end of most political and economic hostilities between the two former enemies. However, its signing was predicated on the absolute commitment of Vietnam to continue economic reform and also suggested that political reform; especially in democratization of Vietnam was almost certainly on the cards for the future (Ibid). Thus, Vietnam is a special case to examine in the study of the impact of the end of the Cold War upon Communist and former Communist states. In the case of Vietnam, not only have they remained under the one party rule of the Communist Party, they have also successfully reformed their economy, with the Communist Government able to provide the right levels of stability and security to continue to develop in the future. Thus, it is also a case of how the ideology of a country and its economic reform are linked, but the case of Vietnam it is an example of a country being ruled consistently under the socialist thought of Ho Chi Minh, maintaining one party rule but was also able to transform an economy from state central control to a free market. It is also known as a peaceful, secure and safe environment in the centre of a South East Asian region. A region that is more often now identified with the increasing problems of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism, such as in Thailand and Malays ia. While economic growth continues, the levels of extreme poverty are continually being lowered and the wealth of the economic success is to some extent spread down the masses through policies based on socialist principles, the one party rule of the Communist Party in Vietnam is likely to continue Ref. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Thang (2007) Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam: an overview and analysis. MPRA Archive Paper No1921) Le Dang, (2002), Results, Challenges and Prospects, Vietnams Socio-Economic Development: A Social Science Review, No.31, Autumn Doanh, Foreign Direct Investment in Viet Nam: Le The Gioi (2004), Moi truong dau tu tai Viet Nam qua goc nhin cua nha dau tu nuoc ngoai, Le The Gioi, Journal of Economics and Forecast, vol 1, 2004. Pham Thi Huyen (2009) The Nationality Factor in Assessing Hanoi Investment Environment in Business Environment and Policies in Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Thang (2007) Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam: an overview and analysis. MPRA Archive Paper No1921 Bui That Thang, (2001)After the war: 25 years of Economic Development in Vietnam, NIRA Review , p21-22). Vo Tri Thanh and Nguyen Thu Anh, (2006) Eaber Working Paper series: Paper No.8 Institutional changes for private sector development in Vietnam.