Globalization and the state. discuss - marxist Essay

Globalization and the state. discuss - marxist - Essay Example Marxism is a case in point. It argues that the system is rife with exploitation, greed and is destined for an inevitable demise. The position is that nation-states are rendered helpless as globalization forces wrest control of the social, economic and political spheres. These issues highlight the conflicting views on the link between globalization and the state. Is there an accurate approach to explaining the phenomenon and its impact on nation states and the world? This paper proposes that the Marxist perspective can be effective in answering this issue. What is a state? For the purpose of this paper, it is helpful to establish the concept of the state. Max Weber defined it as â€Å"an agency of domination† which bounds civil society together (Abinales and Amoroso 2005, p6). The domination variable is important because it guarantees and holds together what Weber called the state’s main attributes: territory, monopoly and legitimacy (Stewart 2001, p103). This is one of the most comprehensive and widely cited definitions. In the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels (2012, p3) also provided his own definition by explaining that the state is â€Å"a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie.† Both of these definitions – as the rest of other conceptualizations – differ in elements, structure and they do vary according to politics. But there are commonalities such as territory and control and, interestingly, most of these elements are present in the modern world system under globalization. This factor along with the state’s response to internationalization underpins the relationship between state and globalization. Globalization and the Marxist View It is important to note that Marxism is fundamentally a critique of capitalism. It established how the economic organization of society defines and control the political and social system (Neack 2003, p21). Any society that adopts this system is said to b e characterized by stratified socio-economic classes. The Marxian analysis approaches globalization from this perspective. It maintains that globalization, as a capitalist system, is endlessly driven by the need to accumulate more. Here, the means of production and consumption is cultivated in such a pattern of expansion, where the market is pushed further from the local to the nation on to the international levels (Milward 2003, p23). In 1857, Karl Marx (1973, p524, p.539) published Grundrisse, wherein he predicted globalization by declaring: â€Å"capital by its nature drives beyond every spatial barrier,† in order to â€Å"conquer the whole earth for its market.† The Marxist theory accurately explained globalization as a phenomenon wherein the world comes together in order to create a system that is conducive to profit making and wealth accumulation. Marx has explained that capitalistic development cannot be confined within states. Ultimately, such development was e xpected to break free of its spatial constraints and this is supposedly underpinned by the nature of capital mobility. Marx and Engels (1973, p77) wrote: The bourgeoisie has through its exploitation of the world market given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country†¦ [old industries] are dislodged by new industries, whose introduction becomes a life and death question for all civilized nations, by industries that no longer work up indigenous material, but raw material drawn from the remotest zones; industries whose

International Marketing Essay Example for Free

International Marketing Essay Introduction The last two decades, probably after World War II the economic growth have speeded up by multinational enterprise. In the 1990s foreign direct investment made by these firms grew as faster arte than both international trade and GDP (Cieslik Ryan, 2011). The foreign direct investment already created lots of fortune for world economy; however, it is not luck to each international firm. Some of them also faced huge risk, even failure. Throughout history, it seems like it is not easy for companies to entry foreign markets. Some of firms were very successful in the their home countries; however, they were failed in foreign markets. Those corporations adopted the same marketing strategies that they used in their home countries because they thought using the same methods would bring much profit in the foreign countries. However, the results were not they expected before. Why? The main reason is that the foreign market environment is not the same with their home countries. There are many different conditions in foreign, and those differences would make international companies rearrange strategies for new markets. Such as, culture, geography, religion, politics, etc. Among those differences, the most important is culture difference. Culture is a system of values and norms that are shared among a group of people and that when taken together constitute a design for livingwhere values are abstract ideas about what a group believes is good, right, and desirable, and norms are the social rules and guidelines that prescribe appropriate behavior in particular situations. Therefore, international firms cannot use the same marketing strategies that they used before to apply different foreign markets. In addition to strategy difference, in the past, standard products were popular by international enterprises since they can operate multinational supply chains by standard operations. However, recently, more firms design their product more localization, it is because international firms want to fit in deeply foreign markets. Sometime, the companies even need to adjust their products for foreign customers, like Starbucks and Coca-Cola adjusted their recipes for local markets. Facing the different markets, the corporations should use different strategies to fit in the different markets, and customized product for local customers. International enterprises need to restart to think many details about their customers, product, service, supply chains, etc. In addition, there are different modes for foreign firms to entry the different countries, such as exporting, contractual agreements, strategic alliances, and direct foreign investment. Each mode has its risk, and international companies should find out the best mode to for itself. Choice of entering foreign mode is always a good argument for literature. The primary option is foreign direct investment. It can bring lucrative benefit, but it has biggest risk. The direct selling and setting the branches are costly, and business organizations would face bigger risks by this directly foreign selling mode. Well know examples of such organization are using this mode to set up their value chain in foreign countries, such as Banyan Tree, UTC, and Volkswagen (Jonsson Foss, 2011). Other is separating ownership and control, likes contractual agreement. Although this mode could not bring the benefit directly, it is long-term investment and has low investment risk (Brown, Dev, Zhou, 2003). Other is strategic international alliance, it is based on some specific conditions that are controlling cost and arranging schedule, to generate this mode, such as, the air industry (Brown, Dev, Zhou, 2003). Whichever mode do the companies decide, and they still need to review their strategies for foreign markets. It is because the company would face changing quickly environment, the shopping behavior, units of employee, and political issues. Companies can predict some considerations and take the reactions, but firms should take the risk for some of issues that they do not have reaction (Raff, Ryan, Stahler). In this paper we would learn form it internationalization experience and strategies, and multinational corporations’ organization. Also, we would see conversions from the standardly operation to localize management and production. Then, we would discuss about other modes to entry foreign market (Chen Chang, 2010). Literature Review According to the survey of IMF, the foreign market entry has been a popular topic in international business research during the last couple of decades. Firms need new market to increase sales, to avoid competitor, and to cost down. Manufacturing industries become the initially parts of main interest in entry the foreign market studies because they want to acquire the advantage of resource efficiency, such as labor force, natural resources, policy of foreign investment, to make more profit. However, with the fast movement of technology and the growing of many potential markets like China, India, and Brazil, entering a foreign market becomes the critical issue for a company to reach more customers and earn more profit. To expanding the business to global market, the manufacture industries now have to put effort on both manufacturing and service. Today, there are more different ways for companies to enter foreign markets. Thanks for the Internet, it speeds up the globalization and connects the global information quicly. Not only business organizations can sell their product in different modes, but also they can gather more information than before. With the help of IT techonology, a corporation can track customers action and consuming habit. Although the Internet provides many variety ways for companies with diversity methods to sell a merchaindise, the risk of entering foreign markets are still very high. Before companies entering foreign market, they should do more research about new markets to avoid the risks that they can predict. There are some reasons that demostrate why research is so important. First, the capital is limited. Even though the big company as Walmart and eBay, they still cannot suffer huge amount of loss in a market. That is why they stayed back to the Asia market. In addition, doing local research can help companies know their customer better, so they can adjust their marketing st rategies efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, by researching the information of the competitors, the companies can decide which ways to enter foreign markets, to go with an agent or do with a joint venture, and what strategy can make the companies stand out in the market and segment with the competitor. Therefore, utilizing information is significant to knock out today’s multinational business. When it comes to brick-and-motor, targeting at developing countries with high disposable income seems to be easier to success (Polly Chan, 2009), because both of domestic demand and personal income are growing. Once a corporation focus on a high potential market, they should learn how to localization. Firms should not get locked into their glory in the original market and shoul make strategy flexible as they internationalize. They face different culture, government laws, consumer behavior, and business model of local partner, so the strategy should be localized. Moreover, the corporation must be sure that the brand image and core concept deliver precisely to the customers, then educating them to find the value in the business merchandise and service; therefore, it can outshining in the blue sea as what Apple did. Innovation also plays an important role of success as well; especially when innovation combined with brand value tightly, so do not be afraid of being different. Last, using resourse wisely and keeping good relationship with other corporation might be a competitive advantage in the future. However, cost down is not the only mesure to increase profit or secure a business. To pursue futher development, firm must avoid stocking with a particular mode due to they feel comfortable with it. In conclusion, gathering enough and critical information, the right and in-time decisions from management, market choosing, evaluating the local economy and culture are significant factors to success in foreign market entry, rather than the firm size or how many financial asset it has. To support our finding and theory, we are providing the case of three international businesses, UTC in technology industry, Banyan Tree in tourism industry, and Volkswagen in manufacture industry. Banyan Tree Introduction The first Banyan Tree resort opened in 1994, transforming an ecological wasteland into an environmentally sensitive resort – Banyan Tree Phuket (Banyan Tree, 2012). Banyan Tree’s philosophy is based on providing a place for renew of the body, mind and soul. Each Banyan Tree property is designed to fit into natural surroundings, using indigenous materials and reflecting the landscape and architecture of the destination. Banyan Tree group currently consists of 30 hotels and resorts, over 60 spas 80 retail galleries, and aggressive expansion plans for the future (Banyan Tree, 2012). Banyan Tree Hotels Resorts has grown into one of Asias most successful hospitality brands with numerous international awards and accolades from publications like the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler and others. Even during the SARS outbreak in Asia in 2003, the company still emerged profitable by achieving average occupancy rates of 65-67% (Roll, 2006). In 2011, the revenue is 270 million US do llars (Exhibit 1). Banyan SWOT Analysis Strengthens Eco-friendly Accommodation. Accommodation of Banyan Tree group emphasizes rejuvenation, eco-friendly, romance, and luxury. The corporation reminds customers that while you are enjoying the vacation, you can still do something for environmental protection. Therefore giving the customers an important message that Banyan Tree is not only a profit-oriented company, it still cares about of the global environment and commit itself in sustainable management. Fast Business Expansion. Banyan Tree expands the business global in a rapid speed. Both Banyan Tree and Angsana resorts are taking an ambitious movement in entering new traveling location, such as China, Greek, and India. With two brands on the way, the expansion rate is much faster than other competitors; hence, Banyan Tree group can acquire market share more rapidly in the new holiday paradise and enjoy the first mover advantage in those areas. Brand Extension. Angsana is a more affordable resort brand that helps Banyan Tree to attract lower level of customers. This differentiation not only helps Banyan Tree to gain more business but also creates a more vivid atmosphere to give customers a brand-new experience. Despite Angsana’s price is cheaper, it does not mean the service or the landscape are less impressive. Angsana still offers a high quality value as Banyan Tree does. SPA Specialty. Spa training school, which set in Phucket, might cost amount of fee; however, both the quality and service are be guaranteed. Moreover, the therapist has to go practical training as well. This is also why Banyan Tree and Angsana Spa won amount of awards in travel industry. Community Development. Banyan Tree group also delicates in community development, a part of profits is used to build school and childcare center, and help the local artist to develop their career. This is the kind of social responsibility that everyone eagers to s ee. The more profit one company earned, the more it should feedback to the resident and society. Weakness Politic Issue. Government law is different from one country to another; thus before entering a new market, Banyan Tree should exam the law carefully and has to think what the worse situation could happen. In some countries, Banyan Tree should go with joint venture, while in others countries they might welcome direct investment. Tax also plays a critical role in the profit. The instable political situation can greatly affect the business and profitability in a period. Taken Thailand as the example, in 2009, the protesters of red-shirt caused fears and panic in tourists, in the end, causing the slum in the whole hospitality industry. No matter what method, the company must prepare for the rainy days. Human Resource. Human force is another weakness of Banyan Tree business. As the expansion of the resorts, Banyan Tree must find more labor force that can communicate in English fluently. But, in nowadays, English might not be enough because of the rising of Chinese market. Furthermore, not every customer speaks neither in English nor Chinese, so looking for multi-language employees would be an urgent issue. Natural Disaster. Many Banyan Tree Resorts locate in the tropical area around by beautiful sea. Natural hazards, such as typhoon and earthquake, influence the rate of occupancy tremendously. For example, in 2004, the tsunami damaged the travel industry in Phuket and Maldives. The only thing Banyan Tree could do is to repair the resorts and to wait for tourism back. Opportunities Chinese Market. As Chinese economy continues growing, the amounts of wealthy Chinese people pay more attention to vacation and family activities, thus booming the international and national tourism market. Moreover, more and more people show interest in going to Asia and experiencing the culture of Asia. Because Banyan Tree started in Asia and is very active in establishing business in China, Banyan Tree and Angsana resorts would have a great advantage in the segment of luxury hotel. Besides China, there are still many new hot spot that Banyan Tree could enter, such as Europe, Mediterranean, and Caribbean. Member of Luxury Hotel Group. The Banyan Tree Resorts and Angsana Resorts are the members of The Leading Hotels Of The World (LHTW) (The Leading Hotels of the World, 2012) and Okura Hotels and Resorts (OHR) (Banyan Tree, 2012). Marketing alliance with LHTW and OHR also ensure the quality of the Banyan Tree. To be the member of LHTW, five stars is the basic requirement. A hotel must have additional conditions, such as delicate design, high-class service, amazing food, and breath-taking landscape. The marketing alliance is a magnificent method to increase Banyan Tree’s exposure and to enhance its business. Cooperate with Agent. Cooperate with agencies is another great opportunity to let people notice the brand and attract more customers. Many wealthy people do not do researches or plan a vacation by themselves; instead, they prefer to book a package tour or flight plus ticket plan when they plan a vacation. This type of people will recommend the hotels and the agency if they are satisfied with the trip. After all, by word-of-mouth marketing strategy is very powerful tool to increase the fame. Threaten Luxury Hotel Competitors. Maintaining a niche position as market matured was an ongoing issue for the company. New luxury hotels are building, such as Aman Resort in the vacation paradise and Marriot in the city. In order to be sustainable in the global market place, Banyan Tree can no longer just rely on competing with costs from manufacturing efficiencies or low cost production. Banyan Tree needs to reinforce on unique culture experience and convey the brand value to customers. Economic Recession. Many 5 stars hotels, maybe not as luxury as Banyan Tree, have begun the price war in recent years when the global economy went down. In economy recession, customer chose a cheaper hotel to stay and deducted the entertainment fee. From aviation industry to hotel industry, they all faced the decrease in revenues. This factor might cause Banyan Tree’s revenue dropped dramatically in 2009. UTC Introduction United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is the ranked number 150 on the Fortune 500 of 2011, and it is the ranked number 48 of the United States companies. Its revenue is 58,190.0 million and profit is 4,979.0 million in 2012 (Fortune Magazine, 2011). UTC is a diversified company that provides†¨a broad range of high-technology products, services to the global aerospace and building systems industries. The diversified manufacturer which owns Carrier air conditioning and heating company, Otis elevator company, and Sikorsky, a builder of commercial and military helicopters. In addition, UTC has a strategically balanced product portfolio that enables the company to tap diverse set off (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). In 2011, UTC announced a reorganization of our commercial and aerospace businesses. UTC commercial businesses are Otis elevators and escalators and the new UTC climate, controls security, which includes Carrier and UTC Fire security. UTC’s aerospace busin esses are Sikorsky aircraft and the†¨new UTC propulsion aerospace systems, which includes Pratt Whitney aircraft engines and Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace and industrial products (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). UTC SWOT Analysis Strength Strategically Balanced portfolio of Products and Revenue streams. UTC has diversified product. The company operates thought business segments to military area. Also, the company has a diversified revenue streams. Revenues from company’s subsidiaries were well balanced. The balanced products and revenue streams allow UTC to address a wide base that reduces the business ricks and enables the company catch opportunities in new existing markets (Datamonitor, 2011). Strong emphasis on Research and Development. UTC has a strong emphasis in research and development. The company conducts its research and development activities by United Technologies Research Center (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). The center is focused on developing new technologies and upgrading existing technics in UTC’s product areas. In addition to United States, UTC operates research in many countries, China, Cork, and Ireland. Besides, UTC invests lot of budget in the technology development and research. For example, during FY2011, UTC’s research and development expenditure was $2.1 billion or 3.5% of total sales (Marketline , 2012). Such focus on research and development helps UTC incorporating newer features to its existing range of products and also in bring out latest technologies in the varied areas. Thus, the company strong emphasis on research and development allows it to uphold the technological leadership in most of its product segments (Marketl ine , 2012). Industry Recognition. UTC has a strong recognition in the industry. Otis, is one of the world’s largest elevator and escalator systems, and Carrier, is the world’s largest manufacturer of heating, ventilating air conditioning and refrigeration systems (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). In addition to UTC, Pratt Whitney is also one of the world’s leading suppliers of aircraft engines for commercial and military. Moreover, Hamilton Sundstrand is one of the leading suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and indusial product and aftermarket services for diversified industries worldwide. Also, Sikorsky, is a strong suppliers of helicopter (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). Strong recognition across varied categories ensures its status as one of the strongest players in industry, which further enhance the brand image of the company and gives it a competitive advantage (Marketline , 2012). Weakness Legal Proceedings. UTC has several pending lawsuits. For example, the company was sued by the Department of Justice(DOJ) in 1999 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, claiming that Pratt Whitney violated the civil False Claims Act and common law. In relation to this lawsuit, the trial court judge fund that Pratt Whitney violate the False Claims Act and is liable for a fine of up of $624 million. Moreover, there are others lawsuit and the fines are not cheap (Datamonitor, 2010). Although UTC maintains reserves to cover the costs for claims and lawsuits, those litigations would impact the company’s brand image and reputation. Significant Debt. UTC has outstanding debt and other financial obligations and significant unused borrowing capacity. In FY2011, the company had total significant debt of $10,260 million (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). The debt could force the company to allocate a considerable portion of cash flows from operations to debt service payments; limit the company’s ability to obtain additional financing; and lose advantage against its competitors who may have less debt. In other words, much debt would impact significantly companies’ performance (Marketline , 2012). Opportunities Surge in defense spending in China and India. UTC provides a wide range of technology products and services to global defense industry, including the fastest growing markets, China and India. The increasing global defense spending would provide the topline growth for the company in the short to medium term (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). Strategic acquisitions. UTC made significant acquisition in 2010 and 2011 from the company’s Fire Security segment. This acquisition will allow the company to expand its offerings of high quality gas and flame detection products (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). UTC uses to take the acquisition from other segment to develop other segments that UTC planned. Such strategic acquisitions would provide the company an opportunity to increase its global presence and revenue base (Datamonitor, 2011). Positive outlook for HVAC equipment market. The global HVAC equipment market has witnessed a strong growth since last few years. The global HVAC equipment market is forecasted to grow at a rate of approximately 6% annually, which is expected to drive the market to $93.2 billion by the end of 2014 (Marketline , 2012). UTC through its Carrier business segment provides products including residential, commercial and industrial heating, ventilating, air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration systems and equipment. The company is well positioned to capitalize on the growing HVAC equipment market (Datamonitor, 2011). Threats Intense Competition in Aerospace Business. The aerospace, global defense, space and aerospace industries businesses are subject to substantial competition from domestic manufacturers, foreign manufacturers and companies that obtain regulatory agency approval to manufacture spare parts. Customer selections of engines and components can also have a significant impact on later sales of parts and services. In addition, the US government’s and other government’s polices of purchasing part from suppliers other than the original equipment manufacturer affect military spare parts sales (Marketline , 2012). Government Contracting Risks. The US government contracts are subjected to termination by the government, either for the convenience of the government or for default as a result of UTC’s failure to perform under the applicable contract. Those U.S government contracts are not easy to make profit, but UTC has many kinds of this contracts with the U.S governments (Datamonitor, 2011). Foreign Currency Fluctuations. UTC conducts its business on a global basis. The company derived approximately 60% of its total FY2010 segment sales from international operations. Therefore, the currency risk is an extremely important factor for UTC’s earnings. Any changes in demand and refinancing conditions, fluctuations, in exchange rates have a significant impact on the company’s earnings (Marketline , 2012). Volkswagen Introduction Volkswagen has been the largest carmaker in Europe since the 1970s. It also has the largest assembly plant (Wolfsburg) and best-selling car (Golf) in Europe.   Being a German company, Volkswagen group positions its brands at the premium part of the market Audi is mass premium, Volkswagen is semi-premium while Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti are prestige marques. Only the Spanish SEAT and Czech Skoda target at the lower end of the market, but they still share the high quality and engineering standard of the group because of extensive platform and component sharing.As the worlds leading car manufacturers, Volkswagen group is the typical transnational business template, Volkswagen historical analysis, it is clear to get a development model targeted analysis. Volkswagen SWOT Analysis Until the early 21st century, the worlds leading international automobile manufacturers have found that this â€Å"fertile land† which have not been fully reclaimed. However, in more than a decade of dominance, Volkswagen brand cannot shake the brand influence. Until today, VW brand identity is the identification of the most well-known automobile. Strength Brand Awareness. From Volkswagens own point of view, the most important point is that the layout of the product. Since Volkswagen was into China early, and thus its product line pulled very long, the vast Chinese market is a large hierarchy of needs and different techniques have competitive products on the price level, to ensure that the public give full play to their own advantages. Volkswagen’s popular products always have been durable, reliable performance and good reputation. Products Targeted. Finally, there is the introduction of the new Skoda, Volkswagens product family has been more fully into the Chinese from Audi, the high-end flagship Volkswagen in different market segments, each with good results and competitiveness. Room to grow. Volkswagen is now one-step ahead of the introduction of the latest addition to the vehicle platforms, engines and other key technology production, in order to ensure that they can have enough growth space. In addition, the development of new products based on the specific situation of the Chinese market in support of SAIC and FAW, Volkswagen began to actively exploring. Localization makes Volkswagen to be strengthened competitiveness in the Chinese automobile market, the future Volkswagen will become important weapon to compete in Chinas automobile market. Weakness Inappropriate Choice of Market Strategy. Volkswagen seems to have deviated from the direction of the public, and fully intends to make a difference in the luxury segment. Decline in market share. The data show that the Chinese auto market hotspots Global the major Automotive Group competition, the Volkswagen Groups market share in China hold the first place, but the share declined. To keep the advantage, Volkswagen has announced an additional investment of 1.6 billion euros for the construction of two new factories and other projects in China. Models look rich enough, a single product line. Conservative single shape is Volkswagens standard. Now everyone pursuit of individuality society shape is a good way to Volkswagen, however, how you can easily imagine the serious and cautious changes of German companys philosophy. Opportunity Growth of the private car market in China. With the rapid development of Chinas social productive forces, the sound and rapid development of economic construction has made each grade highway construction great achievements, people travel more convenient than before. The private car market gradually matured. The purchasing power for the entire auto market is improved. Development of new energy technologies. Volkswagen is now for electric vehicles to develop a clear product release schedule. Electric drive car with internal combustion engine-driven vehicles will coexist. Technologies in this field will be further strengthening. In order to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions significantly, these measures will allow Volkswagen to a leading position in the zero-emission car market. Improve public relations effect. In modern society, manufacturers and distributors, the service is an important means of marketing. Consumer satisfaction is their survival of the lifeline. By having a closer look on the sales figures, Volkswagen is very successful in selling their cars in China. It is also an effective way to explore and establish a good relationship with government, so that Volkswagen will once again return to the core area of ​​the Chinese people and market. Threat Japanese car competition. Strong competition from competitors, especially the Japanese auto strong competition for the Volkswagen from Germany is a big impact. As the oil belongs to the non-renewable resources, along with the gradual expansion of the use of inevitably less and less, plus the worlds largest oil-producing region of the Middle East political instability, oil prices fluctuated, the overall trend is gradually Shanghai Volkswagens fuel economy is relatively certain deficiencies. Shanghai Volkswagen has brought certain threat. Return risk. Volkswagen is committed to clean energy and energy-saving vehicles developed new energy is also the world in the development of R D, the threat is that the publics investment in can be rewarded. Developed a higher energy consumption of resources, and that Volkswagen will go to recover the huge investment. In addition, the Japanese small car in the energy and environmental protection more highlight the advantages of a smaller investment in environmental protection in transition. The public why the assurance that their input is value for money a significant threat to public investment cannot maintain a leading level will be for their own development. Service Competition. In order to progress automotive competition, Shanghai Volkswagen had make in the current situation. Must be able to advance with the times, and the development and use of its own suited to the development of the marketing strategy, market demand, and solve problems for customers, and strive to make customer satisfaction. Improve the pre. Sale, service, and strive to improve the scientific and technological content of products and services. Volkswagen is currently lagging behind in this regard in the Japanese and Korean car manufacturers. Analysis Doing business in home country is quite different in other country. In the class, we already know some essential conditions for multination corporations. Moreover, we will discuss that these multination enterprises have some similar characters to success in today’s environment. Also, we can understand what foreign challenges they are facing when they are entering global markets. Similarity Brand awareness. It is very critical for a company to keep leadership or earn profit in an industry. How to let customer embrace the idea of company is a significant issue for marketing strategy. Volkswagen is a wild-known Germany car brand with high quality and brand recognition. â€Å"Volkswagen – Das Auto†, the slogan of Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand combines the three core values: â€Å"innovative†, â€Å"providing enduring value† and â€Å"responsible† (Volkswagen, 2008). It launched many successful car models such as Volkswagen Golf and Beetle. Next, Banyan Tree Hotel Resort, the Asia based luxury hotels group, also has a strong brand awareness. A Sanctuary for the Senses is the philosophy behind the hotels, resorts, residences, spas, retail galleries and destination club is based on rejuvenation of the body, mind and soul (Banyan Tree, 2012), thus giving the customers the greatest experience and building its name. Otis, the brand belongs to UTC, is one of the world’s largest elevator and escalator systems, and Carrier, and is also the world’s largest manufacturer of heating, ventilating air conditioning and refrigeration systems (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). From this three brand, we saw that they are dedicating in creating brand awareness, because it is the key to expend to the future business. Expending market in China. China is the biggest market in the world. With high economic growth rate, in China more and more people have disposable income to enjoy the material life, and more and more enterprises are thriving, too; therefore, a huge amount of commodities are needed. From the manufacture industry (Volkswagen and UTC) to tourism industry (Banyan Tree), they are heading and accelerating their business in China. Not only the national market that enterprises focus, but also target at the international customers that come to do the business or travel in China. In the next three years, the Banyan Tree group, including Angsana, plans to open 20 resorts in China (Banyan Tree Hotels Resorts, 2012). UTC will try to have business relationship with Chinese government on the global defense spending in the short to medium term. Face on fierce competition. Even though each brand, Volkswagen, UTC, and Banyan Tree, is one of brand leader in its own industry; however, they still face tremendous competition. In the luxury high-end car model, Volkswagen faces the competition of Ferrari, Mercedes, and BMW. In the cheaper models, it has to compete with Japanese car such as Nissan and Toyota. In hotel industry, Banyan Tree group has encountered many luxury hotel groups in their business location, such as Four Season hotels in Macau and Bali, One and Only resorts in Maldives, and Aman resorts in Phuket. UTC also struggle with the competition in global defense, space, and aerospace industries businesses. Because these fields are subject to substantial competition from domestic manufacturers, foreign manufacturers and companies that obtain regulatory agency approval to manufacture spare parts. In addition, the US government’s and other government’s polices of purchasing part from suppliers other than the original equipment manufacturer affect military spare parts sales (Marketline , 2012). To stand out in the blue sea, these three companies have to build a strong marketing strategy to convey and create the value for their customers. Politic restriction. It is not the unusual issue for the foreign and global company. Every country has its own regulation. That is to say, the marketing strategy must to adjust country by country. Moreover, the politic is not so stable in some area, hence increasing the risk of investment, decreasing in sales and profits, or both. Doing deeper researches becomes more critical for a company before planning and implementing its market strategy in a country. Difference Product position. Since having different product positions in marketing, it makes them also have different marketing relationships, marketing strategies, and management systems. For example, Banyan Tree and serve and product are targeted at traveling and tourism, and it was classified into business to customer (B2C), as well as Volkswagen. Therefore, people are easy to see their advertisements. Moreover, Banyan Tree not only includes hotel industry but also traveling services. Thus, it is critical for Banyan to guarantee its services quality since it would has deep relationship with their traveling industry (Banyan Tree, 2012). In addition, Volkswagen focuses its product most. Every year, Volkswagen need to investigate new markets and focus different levels of customers before it publishes new car (Volkswagen, 2008). Although the serve is also important to Volkswagen, the new cars’ attraction is vital for Volkswagen expanding markets. UTC’s marketing relationship is business to business (B2B), it is different from other two cases. It would focus on its product technique and quality (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). Since UTC’s products are various, it includes many of business requirements, it is benefit fro UTC to maintain long-term relationship with their customers. Marketing impact. Nowadays, each company’s market is not always stable. The factors from marketing impact are also various. Some factors come from external, such as environment, economic recession, etc.; and some are belonged to corporation internal. For example, first, the frequent marketing impacts to Banyan Tree are natural disaster, such as typhoon and earthquake (Banyan Tree, 2012). The only thing Banyan Tree could do is to repair the resorts and to wait for tourism back. Second, UTC has significant debt, and it would limit the UTC’s ability to obtain additional financing; and lose advantage against its competitors who may have less debt. In other words, much debt would impact significantly UTC’s marketing performance (Datamonitor, 2010). Last, the decline in Volkswagen’s marketing share is a serious problem, especially in China market. Since more and more competitors share car marketing, Volkswagen has to find another way to increase its marketing share (Volkswagen, 2008). Marketing Strategy. Corporations should have new strategies for increasing market share since more and more competitors are also in unstable-fast markets. According to case reports, these three corporations also have new marketing strategy to attract new customer and maintain its original customers. For example, Banyan adopts marketing alliance, and it is a magnificent method to increase Banyan Tree’s exposure and to enhance its business. It would ensure the quality of Banyan Tree, such as delicate design, high-class service, amazing food, and breath-taking landscape (Banyan Tree, 2012). Second, UTC re-organized its company for utilizing its resource efficiently and creating new markets. UTC uses to take the acquisition from other segment to develop other segments that UTC planned. Such strategic acquisitions would provide the company an opportunity to increase its global presence and revenue base (Marketline , 2012). Also, Volkswagen tries to attract it new customers by developing new energy technique. Volkswagen believes this technique, that reduces the fuel consumption and emissions significantly, will allow Volkswagen to a leading position in the zero-emission car market (Volkswagen, 2008). Risk considerations. Having business in abroad should not only consider the market, but also economic risk and government risk. For example, Banyan would have a serious impact in economy recession since customer chose a cheaper hotel to stay and deducted the entertainment fee. From aviation industry to hotel industry, they all faced the decrease in revenues, such as in 2009 (Banyan Tree, 2012). UTC’s would have a significant impact on the company’s earnings, if there are any fluctuation in exchange rates. It is because UTC derived approximately 60% of its total FY2010 segment in abroad (United Technologies Corporation, 2012). However, according to Volkswagen case, the major risk of Volkswagen is competitors. Volkswagen should find other way to distinguish its competitors (Volkswagen, 2008). Conclusion These three cases all have good reputations in global industry, and their product and services are also predominant in their area. Banyan Tree provides good quality service and hotel in tourism industry, UTC has high technique in aero industry, transport area, and weather control system, and Volkswagen has large market share in car industry. In addition, they are not new multinational companies, and they have long history in their home markets and global markets. According to the report, we know that international business share some strength factors and also face same challenges. Although their product and service are different, they still have some similar conditions, such as owning brand recognition, having politic issue, jointing Chinese markets, and facing global competitors. In addition, we believe that those enterprises are capable to deal with different global challenges, including marketing their product into different countries, predicting any risk from external, and creating new marketing. Under turbulently changing environments, enterprises survive through dynamic reactions. Those reactions should not only depend on experience but also create new marketing strategies. Also, having sensitive recognition to global market and creating marketing method are vital to nowadays environment. It is not difficult to identify that Banyan Tree, UTC, and Volkswagen already own these characters. Because of their experience and creating marketing thinking, they can have outstanding performance distinguish from their competitors. Through this report, we understand that being multinational corporations would have similar successful characters to overcome foreign challenges. In this quick-changing era, it does not matter what product or service is, fixable and executable international marketing strategies are vital to global companies to conquer the global market. Reference Banyan Tree. (2012). Home Page. Retrieved from Banyan Tree Hotels Resorts: http://www.banyantree.com/en/ Roll, M. (2009). Banyan Tree Branded Paradise from Asia. Retrieved from Official Weblog for the book Asian Brand Strategy: http://www.asianbrandstrategy.com/2009/06/banyan-tree-branded-paradise-from-asia.asp United Technologies Corporation. (2012, February 24). United Technologies Corporations annual report. Retrieved November 2, 2012, from United Techonlogies: http://www.utc.com/About+UTC/Company+Reports United Technologies Corporation. (2012, May 1). About Us. Retrieved November 4, 2012, from United Technologies Corporation: http://www.utc.com/About+UTC Brown, J., Dev, C., Zhou, Z. (2003, May 8). Broadening the foreign makret entry mode decision: spearating ownership and control. Journal of International Business Studies . Cieslik, A., Ryan, M. (2011, April 28). Productivity differences and foreign Market Entry in an oligopolistitc Industry. Springer Science Business Media . Chen, M.-Y., Chang, J.-Y. (2010, Aug 11). The choice of foreign market entry mode: An analysis of the dynamic probit model . Economic Modelling . Datamonitor. (2010). Company Profile -United Technologies Corporation . New York: Datamonitor. Datamonitor. (2011). Company Profile -United Technologies Corporation . New York: Datamonitor. Fortune Magazine. (2011, July 25). Fortune500 Companies of 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2011, from Cnn Money: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2011/snapshots/421.html

The Black Death: Impact On Society

The Black Death: Impact On Society The Black Death was the biggest disaster in European history. From its beginning in Italy in late 1347 through its movement across the continent to its fading out in the Russian hinterlands in 1353, this plague killed between seventeen and twenty eight million people. The gruesome symptoms and the deadliness, have fixed the Black Death in popular imagination. Discovering the diseases cultural, social, and economic impact, has occupied generations of scholars. Despite the growing understandings and wonders of the Black Deaths effects, definitive assessment of its role as historical turning point continues to be a work in progress. Like the plagues death toll, its economic impact resists incompetent measurement. The Black Deaths timing made a superficial labeling of it as a turning point in European economic history nearly inevitable. It arrived near the close of the high Middle Ages (c. 1000 to c. 1300) in which urban life reemerged, long distance commerce revived, business and manufacturing innovated, agriculture matured, and population grew rapidly, doubling or tripling. The Black Death simultaneously proposed an economically stagnant, and a depressed late Middle Ages (c. 1300 to c. 1500). Even if this crude and somewhat misleading portrait of the medieval economy is accepted, isolating the Black Deaths economic impact from diverse factors at play is a daunting challenge. Aware of the differences between the high and the late Middle Ages, students of medieval economy have offered a wide variety of explanations, some mutually limited, others not, some favored the less dramatic, and the less visible, yet consistent factor as an agent of change rather than a disastrous demographic shift. For some, when the climate cooled it undercut the agricultural productivity, a downturn that rippled throughout the primariy Agrarian economy. For others, exploitative political, social, and economic institutions enriched an idle elite and deprived working society of resources and incentive to be inventive and productive. Yet others associate trade and industry factors with the fourteenth and fifteenth century economic depression. In the reconstruction of the Middle Ages, the population growth was hard-pressed against the societys ability to feed itself. The uprise in deficiency and contracting holdings compelled the peasant to develop inferior, low fertility land and to convert pasture to poor production and thereby reducing the numbers of livestock and making manure for fertilizer less availible. Boosting gross productivity in the immediate term yet driving yields of grain downward in the long term to intensify the disproportion between population and food supply; redressing the imbalance became expected. This ideas supporters see signs of demographic correction from the mid thirteenth century onward, possibly arising in part from marriage practices that reduced fertility. A more potent correction came with subsistence crisis. Wretched weather in 1315 destroyed crops and the ensuing Great Famine (1315-22) . It reduced northern Europes population by perhaps ten to fifteen percent. The Black Deaths impact on the economys commercial division is a complex problem. The enthusiasm of the high medieval economy is generally conceded. When the first millennium gave way to the second, urban life revitalized, the trade and manufacturing flourished, merchant and craft gilds emerged, commercial and financial innovations thrive. The integration of the high medieval economy reached its high point c. 1250 to c. 1325 with the rise of large companies with international interests, such as the Bonsignori of Siena and the Buonaccorsi of Florence and the materialization of so called super companies such as the Florentine Bardi, Peruzzi, and Acciaiuoli (Hunt and Murray, 1999). The Black Deaths impact on business its full due, but emphasizes the variety of the plagues impact from merchant to merchant, industry to industry, and city to city. Success or failure was equally possible after the Black Death and the game favored adaptability, creativity, nimbleness, opportunity, and foresight. Once the magna pestilencia had passed, the city had to get by with a labor supply even more greatly decimated than in the countryside, due to a generally higher urban death rate. The city, however, could reverse some of this damage by attracting, new workers from the countryside, an occurrence that deepened the crisis for the manorial lord and contributed to changes in rural settlement. A reappearance of the slave trade occurred in the Mediterranean, especially in Italy, where the female slaves from Asia or Africa entered domestic service in the city and the male slaves worked hard in the countryside. However, finding more labor was not a universal remedy. If peasant or slav e could perform an unskilled task effectively, but could not necessarily replace a skilled laborer. The gross loss of talent due to the plague caused a decline in per capita productivity by skilled labor was remedied only by time and training (Hunt and Murray, 1999; Miskimin, 1975). Another immediate consequence of the Black Death was displacement of the demand for goods. A suddenly and sharply smaller population ensured a surplus of manufactured and trade goods, whose prices plummeted for a time. The businessman who successfully weathered this short term disproportion in supply and demand then had to reshape his business output to fit a declining or at best sluggish pool of potential customers. The Black Death had altered the structure of demand as well. The standard of living of the peasant improved, however, chronically low prices for grain and other agricultural products from the late fourteenth century deprived the peasant of the additional income to purchase enough manufactured or trade items to fill the hole in commercial demand. In the city the plague concentrated wealth, often considerable family fortunes, in fewer and often younger hands.When coupled with lower prices for grain, left greater per capita of disposable income. The plagues psychological impact, in addition, influenced how this windfall was used. Glumness and the specter of death spurred an individualistic pursuit of pleasure, a profligacy that manifested itself in the purchase of luxuries, especially in Italy. Even with the reduced population, the gross quantity of luxury goods manufactured and sold rose, a pattern of consumption that continued even after the extra income had been spent within a genera tion or so after the magna pestilencia. Like the manorial lord, the affluent urban bourgeois (a person belonging to the middle class) sometimes employed structural impediments to block the ambitious parvenu (a person who is newcomer to a socioeconomic class) from joining his ranks and becoming a competitor. A inclination toward limiting the status of gild master to the son or the son in law of a sitting master, is evident in the first half of the fourteenth century, gained further forward motion after the Black Death. The need for more laborers and journeymen after the plague was conceded in the shortening of terms of apprenticeship, but the newly minted journeyman often discovered that his chance of breaking through the glass ceiling and becoming a master was virtually nothing without an entrà ©e through kinship. Women were also being banished from the gilds, they were unwanted competition. The urban laborer had no access to urban structures of power, a potent source of frustration. While these measures may have permitte d the bourgeois to hold his ground for a time, change was erupting in the city as well as the countryside and gild monopolies and gild restrictions were disputing by the close of the Middle Ages. In the new climate created by the Black Death, the businessman did retain an advantage. The business judgment and techniques perfected during the high Middle Ages. This was critical in a contracting economy, in which gross productivity never attained its high medieval peak. A fluctuating economy demanded adaptability and the most successful businessman not merely weathered bad times, but found opportunities within adversity and exploited them. Post plague businessmens had a preference for short term rather than long term ventures. They once believed a product of a depressing despondency caused by the plague and made worse by widespread violence, decay of traditional institutions, and nearly continuous warfare. It is now viewed as a judicious desire to leave open entrepreneurial options, to manage risk effectively, and to take advantage of whatever opportunities arise. The successful businessman observed markets closely and responded to them while exercising strict control over his co ncern, looking for greater efficiency, and trimming costs. (Hunt and Murray, 1999). The Black Death may indeed have made its greatest contribution to popular revolution by expanding the peasants perspectives and fueling a sense of criticism at the pace of change. The plague may also have undercut devotion to the notion of a exquisitely sanctioned, social order and pummeled a belief that preservation of manorial socioeconomic arrangements was essential to the survival of all. This in turn may have raised receptiveness to the apocalyptic socially revolutionary message of preachers like Englands John Ball. After the Black Death, change was inevitable and apparent to all. XXXXIn sum, the Black Death played some role in each uprising but, as with many medieval phenomena, it is difficult to gauge its importance relative to other causes. Perhaps the plagues greatest contribution to unrest lay in its fostering of a shrinking economy that for a time was less able to absorb socioeconomic tensions than had the growing high medieval economy. The rebellions in any event achieved little. Promises made to the rebels were invariably broken and brutal reprisals often followed. The lot of the lower socioeconomic strata was improved incrementally by the larger economic changes already at work. Viewed from this perspective, the Black Death may have had more influence in resolving the workers grievances than in spurring revolt. The European economy at the close of the Middle Ages (c. 1500) differed fundamentally from the pre-plague economy. In the countryside, a freer peasant derived greater material benefit from his toil. Fixed rents if not outright ownership of land had largely displaced customary dues and services and, despite low grain prices, the peasant more readily fed himself and his family from his own land and produced a surplus for the market. Yields improved as reduced population permitted a greater focus on fertile lands and more frequent fallowing, a beneficial phenomenon for the peasant. More pronounced socioeconomic gradations developed among peasants as some, especially more prosperous ones, exploited the changed circumstances, especially the availability of land. The peasants gain was the lords loss. As the Middle Ages waned, the lord was commonly a pure renter whose income was subject to the depredations of inflation. In trade and manufacturing, the relative ease of success during the high Middle Ages gave way to greater competition, which rewarded better business practices and leaner, meaner, and more efficient concerns. Greater sensitivity to the market and the cutting of costs ultimately rewarded the European consumer with a wider range of good at better prices. In the long term, the restructuring caused by the Black Death perhaps fostered the possibility of new economic growth. The deadly disease returned Europes population roughly its level c. 1100. As one scholar notes, the Black Death, unlike other catastrophes, destroyed people but not property and the very slim population was left with the whole of Europes resources to exploit. The resources were far more substantial by 1347 than they had been two and a half centuries earlier, when they had been created from the ground up. In this environment, survivors also benefited from the technological and commercial skills developed during the course of the high Middle Ages. Viewed from another perspective, the Black Death was a cataclysmic event and reduction of expenditure was inevitable, but it ultimately diminished economic impediments and opened new opportunity. References and Further Reading: Bailey, Mark D. Demographic Decline in Late Medieval England: Some Thoughts on Recent Research. Economic History Review 49 (1996): 1-19. Bailey, Mark D. A Marginal Economy? East Anglian Breckland in the Later Middle Ages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. Campbell, Bruce M. S. Agricultural Progress in Medieval England: Some Evidence from Eastern Norfolk. Economic History Review 36 (1983): 26-46. Campbell, Bruce M. S., ed. Before the Black Death: Studies in the Crisis of the Early Fourteenth Century. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1991. . Herlihy, David. The Black Death and the Transformation of the West, edited by S. K. Cohn. Cambridge and London: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Horrox, Rosemary, transl. and ed. The Black Death. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1994. Hunt, Edwin S.and James M. Murray. A History of Business in Medieval Europe, 1200-1550. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Miskimin, Harry A. The Economy of the Early Renaissance, 1300-1460. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1975. Platt, Colin. King Death: The Black Death and its Aftermath in Late-Medieval England. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1996. Poos, Lawrence R. A Rural Society after the Black Death: Essex 1350-1575. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. Ziegler, Philip. The Black Death. London: Penguin, 1969, 1987. Citation: Routt, David. The Economic Impact of the Black Death. EH.Net Encyclopedia, edited by Robert Whaples. July 20, 2008. URL http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/Routt.Black.Death

Racism in the Criminal Justice System Essay -- Police Corruption 2014

Racism in police treatment of minorities has created great disparities in incarceration amongst the races. Blatant cases of racist law enforcement that are covered in the  news are a testament to the fact that racism within police departments exists from coast to coast. However, these are only the cases that people find out about; there are countless other cases of police racism and brutality that are not reported. A series of reports that have been published in the last few years have shown that young black men are being incarcerated at a rate far greater than their number in the overall population. In the fall of 1995, Vincent Schiraldi, executive director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco, released a study that found that nationally 33% of the black men in their 20~s were under the control of the criminal justice system in some way, shape or form. This shows an increase from 1991, when 25% of the black men nationwide ages 20 to 29 were incarcerated, on probation, or on parole (Butterfield 1996). Schiraldi, attributed the higher incarceration rates for black men to tougher punishment for the use of crack cocaine than for other drugs; harsh new sentencing laws; the prison construction boom; and poverty, lack of good jobs and poor education in inner cities. We will address how tougher punishments have resulted in worse treatment for minorities in the criminal justice system. The tougher punishment for the use of crack cocaine, which is prevalent in minority neighborhoods, and the harsh new sentencing laws are a result of a new, stringent brand of law enforcement in which officers are trying to arrest as many people as possible. Unfortunately, as a result of this new brand of law enforcement, minoriti... ...ws. 12 August 2012., late ed.: Al. Butterfield, Fox. "Study finds a disparity injustice for blacks."  NewYork Times. 13 Feb. 2013, late ed.: A8. Fazlolloh, Mark. "From Prison, Ex-Cops Call Offenses Routine.  Philadelphia Inquirer. 12 May 2012, late ed.: Al. "Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Action Manual."  American Civil Liberties Union  Online. 9 May May 2014. Orseno, Brian. "The DWB Phenomenon."  American Civil Liberties Union. News Updates. 23 April 2013. Online. 7 May May 2014. Rose, Veronica. "The ACLU Fights Back Against Police Profiling On A National Level."  The ACLU Northern California. 14 January 2013. Online. 8 May May 2014. Slobodzian, Joseph A. "City Officers Indicted on Corruption Charges." Philadelphia Inquirer. 1 Mar. 2011, late ed.: Al. "Victims of Mandatory Minimums." Families Against Mandatory Minimums. Online. 17 May May 2014.

Project Management Essay

Moving forward to begin the process of managing the trade show project for LRH Products, it is important that all aspects of the process are performed correctly and efficiently. After studying the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and the nine knowledge areas, I have ascertained that the following three areas are of utmost importance to the success of this project: Project Time Management, Project Human Resource Management, and Project Communications Management. Project Time Management, which contains the sub-areas of Activity Definition, Activity Sequencing, and Activity Duration Estimating is a very important part of planning for the trade show. Activity Definition is perhaps the most crucial aspect of this area. If this step is not thoroughly researched and all scenarios accounted for, it can impact the rest of the planning activities. It is essential to remember that training is one activity which must be properly time managed and added to the schedule, as well. Even one forgotten item can put the entire project behind schedule. Unfortunately, if time is not managed properly, there can be no extensions to the trade show date. Activity Sequencing is a bit less important although it must also be given careful consideration. Oftentimes, the performance of one activity hinges on the completion of another so little regard to this area could also impact the time to achieve all required activities. Activity Duration Estimating can be one of the trickiest parts of the planning process, especially for a new manager who has no first-hand experience dealing with the assigned personnel and little or no knowledge of resource availability. Oftentimes, managers will respond to questions regarding time in an optimistic manner, believing that this is what their superiors want to hear. It does no good to anyone involved to seriously underestimate the amount of time required and can add undue stress to those assigned tasks with no hope of completing them according to schedule as well as detrimentally affecting motivation and commitment. It is vital to always allow enough time to accomplish all that needs to be done – as well as accounting for changes which may hamper progress. Of course, as uncertainty declines, the time estimate becomes ever more accurate (Billows, 2006). Project Human Resource Management entails Organizational Planning, Staff Acquisition, and Team Development. This is important in that one person cannot perform all tasks and requires the help of a team. According to Trade Show Advisor (2008), â€Å"†¦the effectiveness of your exhibit team can make or break your success at any given show†. Deciding on who is best equipped to handle each activity is vital, although when large amounts of personnel are needed (depending on the size of the trade show) it may be necessary to train staff members who might not have prior experience. Particularly for a new manager, it is best to assign tasks based on areas of strength; for instance, it is known that Pat enjoys updating the collateral. This is a perfect assignment for Pat, then, and the effective manager will base goal times on completion around this employee’s schedule vacation in order to ensure it is performed effectively. Dealing with Terry, who can make travel arrangements but often makes mistakes in setting them up, means additional time considerations to perform follow-up on Terry’s work to check for accuracy. Staff Acquisition is another area of consideration. Due to the limited amount of time each assigned employee is available to devote to the project and keeping in mind that unexpected circumstances, such as illness or personal emergencies may occur, it is always wise to have a selection of personnel from which to select as back-up. Ensuring that all staff members are on the same page and communicating frequently will aid in Team Development. Everyone involved must realize that this project is a team effort and commit to doing whatever is necessary to accomplish goals. As well, it is critical to encourage honest and open communication so that there are no surprises as the project nears its end. Staff members must know that it is all right to admit they are not going to make a deadline, in order for the project manager to come up with alternatives before it is too late to fix. Project Communications Management is by far the most important area of the project management plan. A loss of, or breakdown in, communication can have disastrous results for the entire project. If not properly managed, lost or missing communication can mean the staff attending the show are unprepared, or do not have the necessary resources. Within this broad category are the areas of Communication Planning, Information Distribution, Performance Reporting, and Administrative Closure. Communication Planning – deciding who needs to know what – is a topic best addressed carefully. It takes the ability to look at the big picture to best determine who must stay in the loop. Oftentimes, it is assumed that a minor player, such as an administrative assistant, need not be communicated with as much, or as often, as others, but this can be a fatal mistake. Remember that support staff left behind during the trade show itself are the only lifeline between clients and absent sales managers. It is also a good idea to have one staff member who is not attending the show to be fully informed of all activities in the project. Information Distribution is also a key component, especially when deciding how to communicate vital information. It is important to ensure that all team members receive communications in a timely manner and let the project manager know it has been received to avoid later problems or excuses. Similarly, Progress Reporting is an additional area in which it is vital to ensure the manager is working with the most up-to-date information and that all personnel are aware of how their progress, or lack thereof, impacts the entire project. Administrative Closure is the final step in communication of the project. This is where the manager is held accountable for the success of the trade show and the resulting sales leads which must be followed up on after its conclusion.

Lab

Lab Introduction Water plays a vital role in biological systems. Some species are able to survive in diverse environment such as fishes in salt water, Cactus plants in dry land and mammalian cells in aqueous surrounding because of the specialized underlying structures of these life-forms. In order for us to appreciate these special adaptation, we first need to know how a typical plant or an animal cell organelle behaves in different water and solute concentrations. In this lab, we will determine the effects of hypertonic, isotonic and hypotonic solutions on plant and animal cells. In general when an animals cell's placed in hypertonic solution it shrivels; a plant cell on the other hand undergoes plasmolysis. When an animal cell's placed in hypotonic solution, it begins to swell and then finally lyse; a plant cell placed in this type of solution however, is said to be turgid. In isotonic solution, the animal cell stays the same (normal) whereas the plant cell becomes flaccid.en: Epidermi s cells of Rhoeo Discolor; the vacuole...

Learn the French Conjugations for Présenter (to Present)

Learn the French Conjugations for Prà ©senter (to Present) The French verb  prà ©senter  means to introduce or to present. While its easy enough to remember because its similar to the English, you will still need to conjugate it to say presented or introducing. The good news is that this is a regular verb and a brief lesson will introduce you to its most important conjugations.   The Basic Conjugations of  Prà ©senter French verb conjugations tend to worry French students because you have so many words to memorize. Where English gives us only a few verb forms for the present, future, and past tenses, French gives us a new word for each subject pronoun within each tense. However, with a word like  prà ©senter, which  is a  regular -er verb, the conjugations are just a little easier. Thats because it follows the most common conjugation pattern found in the French language. If youve studied a few verbs already, the endings you see here should look familiar. The indicative verb mood is the most common and it includes the basic tenses youll need for most conversations. Using the chart, you can find the appropriate conjugation that corresponds to the subject and the tense of your sentence. As an example,  je prà ©sente  means I am presenting while  nous prà ©sentions  means we introduced. Present Future Imperfect je prsente prsenterai prsentais tu prsentes prsenteras prsentais il prsente prsentera prsentait nous prsentons prsenterons prsentions vous prsentez prsenterez prsentiez ils prsentent prsenteront prsentaient The Present Participle of  Prà ©senter For regular verbs, forming the  present participle  is simple. Just add  -ant  to the verb stem and you have the word  prà ©sentant. Prà ©senter  in the Compound Past Tense While you can use the imperfect for the past tense, you may find the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  easier to remember. This is a compound that requires the  past participle  prà ©sentà ©, which tells us that the act of introducing has already happened. The only conjugation you need to worry about here is transforming  the auxiliary verb  avoir  into the present tense. Youll then follow that with  prà ©sentà ©. For example, I introduced is  jai prà ©sentà ©Ã‚  and we introduced is  nous avons prà ©sentà ©. More Simple Conjugations of  Prà ©senter While the forms of  prà ©senter  above should be your focus at first, there are a few more simple conjugations you may need at times. For example,  the subjunctive  is helpful when you need to question the act of introducing and  the conditional  is used when its dependent on something else. Both  the passà © simple  and  the imperfect subjunctive  are literary forms and typically only found in written French. Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je prsente prsenterais prsentai prsentasse tu prsentes prsenterais prsentas prsentasses il prsente prsenterait prsenta prsentt nous prsentions prsenterions prsentmes prsentassions vous prsentiez prsenteriez prsenttes prsentassiez ils prsentent prsenteraient prsentrent prsentassent You may not need  the imperative  for a verb like  prà ©senter  often, but its good to know that when you do use it the subject pronoun is not required. Imperative (tu) prsente (nous) prsentons (vous) prsentez

Blade Runner essays

Blade Runner essays Blade Runner is a movie based on the future. Harrison Ford is an officer that is in charge of destroying robot humans, replicas that have gone bad. The style of the movie is one of the last movies that didnt use computer graphics. This is a big hurdle to overcome for the director. I enjoyed this movie. It was an actioned pact and had a great look to the directors ideas of what the future will look like. Every detail was cool, the cars and building, and the different devices in telling if someone is a real human or not. The thing that I found interesting is that the director used a lot of dark shots, filled with smoke and very dungy looking. I picture the future very well lit, and had clean air. The director used smoke filled rooms and "yucky" looking shots. I found it interesting to see a different view of the future. The director probably used these dark conditioned to disguise the special effects and lack of technology and computer graphics. But I feel it worked. I thought the movie had an interesting feel to it, seeing these scale models to represent large futuristic cities. Harrison Ford seemed to be a 60's detective but living in the future. He played the role good. He fit the role, because he looks like he doesn't trust people. He looks at people as if he is analyzing them, and in this movie he actually is. It is his job, a good role for him. The director touches on a controversial subject. But the subject is a hot topic now, even more now then when the movie was made. It seemed like the movie should be made now. The controversy of computer and artificial intelligence is an important topic right now. Even cloning is a controversy. Everyone is worrying about what will happen if we make artificial life. But this movie gives an idea of what could happen. I thought it was very interesting. It made me think about the decisions we make now will impact the fu ...

Racism in America related to the book A Raisin in the Sun Essay

Racism in America related to the book A Raisin in the Sun - Essay Example America created the Declaration of Independence in order to gain their freedom from the British, but what Jefferson was referring to had a subtle hint behind it—at that time this freedom could only be truly experience and admired by white men. The black slaves who worked on white men’s farms were treated as items of property and were not thought of as human because of the very fact that they were black. This racism was hidden under the surface and lasted for many years—even after the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, freed slaves from their white masters. However, this feeling of racism continued on until Martin Luther King Jr. led African-Americans to fight for their rights through the Civil Rights Movement. The reasons for the formation of this movement are shown in Lorraine Hansberry’s book â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† (1994). In this book, the author details a story that shows how an African-American family struggles with the i ssues of racism in and around the time of World War II. The racism suffered by this family caused this predominantly poor family, which in total comprised of three generations, to gradually become worse off than they previously were. Their jobs only provided enough money to give them a place to sleep and nothing more. This can be highlighted by the fact that the youngest child was sleeping in the living room, the college daughter had to share a room with her mom, and even their whole family had to share the bathroom with other family members because there was only one throughout the entire house. However, the family had a dream that they would one day live in a house that would have enough space for everyone to live comfortably. The reality is that this dream was not only shared by them; every other black family at that time held onto this same dream. The matriarch of the family, Mama, commented that their ancestors had slaved away so hard for this country during the five previous g enerations, but they have not received anything from this country that can be considered fair and just. One of the most significant moments in the history of black people in the United States was the American Civil War. The underlying reason why the American Civil War occurred between 1861 and 1865 was to free black slaves and give them their freedom. This was what the Abraham Lincoln said; however, the real reason for the war taking place had more to do with the economy. The Southern states contained a great number of black laborers who worked on farms—this had helped their economy experience huge amounts of growth over a long period of time. On the other hand, the lack of slaves in the Northern states had caused their economy to grow at a snail’s pace. This economic imbalance within the United States had started to come to the boil, but only became key economic issue when Mr. Abraham Lincoln proposed a law to set slaves free. As was expected, the Southern states did not take too kindly to this thought, so war occured and it became known as one of the most violent wars of the 19th century. Once the war had ended, the Northern states reaffirmed their belief to make it legal to free all slaves; however, the South fought against these anticipated laws very aggressively. As such, the war didn’t really accomplish everything that it set out to—

Competitive Growth Strategy ZARA and H&M Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Competitive Growth Strategy ZARA and H&M - Essay Example A close analysis of the two companies namely Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) and Zara reveals that they both have strengths peculiar to their business operations. One major strength characteristic of both companies is that they have vertically integrated business models which allow them to set the pace of information flow thereby determine their own business operations. Their stores have diversified products as well ranging from clothing for all age groups to cosmetics which give variety to shoppers. Another notable strength characteristic of both organisations is the ability to have the global patent, which is exclusive rights to their brand names and products which make them different from other rival competitors’ products. It shows that they are operating legally which creates mutual trust among customers. This can also be done by making their brands absolutely unique from other products already on the market as a way of showing that they are not mere copycats. By also establishing well-defined distribution channels, the company would stand better chances of positive growth. Whilst the two companies have different approaches to their distribution methods, it can be noted that they have efficient distribution systems which offer a credit in the success of the business. However, there are bound to be weaknesses faced by H &M as well as Zara in their attempt to achieve this feat of establishing themselves as forces to reckon with in the market. One major weakness that is evident for H & M in its endeavour to establish itself as a formidable organisation is its apparent lack of competitor and customer analysis. This often is dangerous as it risks failing to keep pace with customer needs as a result of lack of information. On the other hand, Zara’s major weakness is that its design and product development are human intensive which leads to less retail returns than the cost of production. On the other  hand, opportunities for both companies lie in their ability to penetrate international markets which may have a different appeal than the local markets.  

Current strengths and weaknesses of the Microsoft company Assignment

Current strengths and weaknesses of the Microsoft company - Assignment Example Communication and innovation is not prioritized within the organization. Despite the popularity of handheld devices, the demand for computers in the united sates and across the world continues to grow. In this regard, it is realized that the future prospects for the organization are still good. Apple and Linux certainly threaten the large market share presently held by Microsoft. Indeed, the popularity of the products from these manufacturers continues to grow and there is a strong indication that Microsoft cannot continue to hold the 88% market share (Phelps, 38). Fluctuations in the exchange rates across the world greatly affect the demand for the software in certain countries. The fluctuating currencies greatly affect revenues from the organization especially in the international markets. It is presently realized that some hardware manufacturers like Oracle, Sun manufacturers, and IBM have collaborated with new platform technologies thereby greatly reducing the demand for windows (Stross, 45). In the same way, some of the hard ware manufacturers issue software application with their hardware sales. This means that Microsoft’s products do not apply in such

Contracts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Contracts - Assignment Example Consideration of the terms of the contract also constitute a valid contract and it can be seen that this step was taken into account in the formation of this contract. The parties involved have the capacity to contract since they are mature enough to be responsible of their actions and the aspect of legality also exists in this contract and that is the reason why it became binding. 2) In the event that I am Adams’ attorney, I would categorically state that the verbal agreement made between the two parties constitutes a valid contract. By an standard, it can be seen that a valid contract has been formed between Adams and Bill though the verbal agreement they entered into. Bill’s attempt to breach the contract after realising that the restaurant has been making high profits is illegal. 3) Probably with little success in sight, I would try to argue on behalf of Bill that the contract should not be enforced because it was not written. Some people may argue that a verbal agreement is difficult to prove and this is the point I will base my argument

Contracts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Contracts - Assignment Example Consideration of the terms of the contract also constitute a valid contract and it can be seen that this step was taken into account in the formation of this contract. The parties involved have the capacity to contract since they are mature enough to be responsible of their actions and the aspect of legality also exists in this contract and that is the reason why it became binding. 2) In the event that I am Adams’ attorney, I would categorically state that the verbal agreement made between the two parties constitutes a valid contract. By an standard, it can be seen that a valid contract has been formed between Adams and Bill though the verbal agreement they entered into. Bill’s attempt to breach the contract after realising that the restaurant has been making high profits is illegal. 3) Probably with little success in sight, I would try to argue on behalf of Bill that the contract should not be enforced because it was not written. Some people may argue that a verbal agreement is difficult to prove and this is the point I will base my argument

Using the knowledge of Hillsborough disaster, how far the resignation Essay

Using the knowledge of Hillsborough disaster, how far the resignation of Norman Bettison was appropriate - Essay Example With numerous peoples reportedly climbing on fences, the crush barrier collapsed. Following the investigations, Duckenfield told higher authorities that the sudden destruction was caused by people who rushed at the congested area (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1) The Taylor report however pointed failure of police control as the main cause of such tragedy (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1) Background of the case The independent investigation was reopened last September 2012 which exonerated the liabilities of Liverpool fans and revealed the omissions made by authorities to cover up the incident, including the concealment and alteration of statements from 164 respondents (Hall, 2012, p. 1). Findings further concluded that of those 96 fatalities, 41 could have been saved if immediately brought to hospital for medication. The report further bared that the situation could have been forecasted from the vantage of the security monitoring control box where records of mounted CCTVs are managed (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1). Dismayed by the findings, West Yorkshire chief constable Norman Bettison tendered his resignation on October 24, 2012 but denied blaming the football fans for the tragedy (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1). ... 1). Police authority vice-chair Les Carter  likewise publicly announced that Bettison’s resignation was appropriate for the institution that is currently saving its image and its performance management from the controversies (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1). Total Security Management Police enforcers that are tasked to enforce security management should have been acculturated of its role as authorities that can readily assess the indicators of vulnerabilities, risks, and possible disasters with the massive influx of people in an area (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). The police should also have cared undertaking strategic plan about how to manage the people and ensure their security and safety (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). They could have also made some measures to control the crowd and have readied all medical supports at bay for any possible dangers that may befall (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). With supposed strategic plan at hand, those deploy ed at the site could have prevented the occurrence of the incident or could have, at the minimum, efficiently mitigated the disaster risks (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). Their roles should have been clarified and they should have geographically analysed the capacity of the venue. But apparently, the lack of unified, strategic, and (post-accident) pro-active response to the situation proved that they lacked the capacity to employ total security management in the area. True, the situation might have been overwhelming but as the case is brought into administrative investigation, the team should have faced it with professionally and honestly-- without concealing and omitting necessary information that could shed light to such tragedy (Mindtools, 2012, p. 1). They should have

Production and International Logistics Case Study

Production and International Logistics - Case Study Example In the early 1900, Henry Ford, the owner of Ford Motor company became the world's richest men by his mass production success in the automobile industry. During World War II, the US government also requested him to mass produced bomber air crafts for the US Air Force. Ford Motor Company's production system during those years is a good example of a mass production system. Demand was so high, Ford has to mass produced to satisfy demand. Ford has all the good reason to hold high inventories during those years, that was, to please his customers by keeping a steady supply of his automobiles. This is also one of the reasons why some firms chose to mass produced. Another reason is the uncertainties in supply and supply capacity (Morton 1999). Toyota saw the success of Ford Motor but cannot replicate Henry Ford's production strategy due to the devastation suffered by Japan's economy after the war. This gave birth to a new concept of production where inventory level is zero, the lean production system, otherwise known as the Just-in-Time or JIT system. In the Machine That Changed the World, James Womack, used 'the term lean production to describe the profound revolution in manufacturing that was initiated by the Toyota Production System (cited by Asay, D. and Ott, S ,1998 ). Toyota's factories, along with most of its suppliers, can be spotted around Toyota City. Delivery of components and parts depended on the speed of the assembly line, and parts were delivered using logistics just at the right time when these are needed. The system eliminates the need to carry large inventories but close coordination between suppliers and logistics for the success of the system. When delivery of components or raw materials lagged behind, or when there are defects on deliveries, the strategic advantage and benefits that could have been gained from using the lean concept would be defeated. This led adherents of JIT to embark on a system of managing inventory and logistics in collaboration with total quality management (Heizer, Render 2001). The movement of supplies and other commodities from suppliers to users or consumers in the supply chain is a function of logistics. This is particularly important in a global economy where competition is borderless. International logistics therefore plays an important role in the success of production. The following section compares and contrast the traditional mass production system and lean production system. 2.0 Mass Production vs. Lean Production Traditional mass production differs from lean production in its overall organizational characteristics and manufacturing methods. Let us compare and contrast mass production as against lean production on the following terms: business strategy, organizational culture, customer relationship, production and scheduling, inventory management, quality assurance, information management and manufacturing cost. 2.1 Business Strategy In mass production strategy, the focus is on exploiting economies of scale of existing products and technologies. This strategy takes advantage of the decrease in the unit cost of the product as the volume of production per period of time increases (Kroll, et al, 1996). On the other hand, lean production strategy is customer focused. It seeks to identify and exploit new opportunities and competitive advantage through product design,

Contracts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Contracts - Assignment Example Consideration of the terms of the contract also constitute a valid contract and it can be seen that this step was taken into account in the formation of this contract. The parties involved have the capacity to contract since they are mature enough to be responsible of their actions and the aspect of legality also exists in this contract and that is the reason why it became binding. 2) In the event that I am Adams’ attorney, I would categorically state that the verbal agreement made between the two parties constitutes a valid contract. By an standard, it can be seen that a valid contract has been formed between Adams and Bill though the verbal agreement they entered into. Bill’s attempt to breach the contract after realising that the restaurant has been making high profits is illegal. 3) Probably with little success in sight, I would try to argue on behalf of Bill that the contract should not be enforced because it was not written. Some people may argue that a verbal agreement is difficult to prove and this is the point I will base my argument

Production and International Logistics Case Study

Production and International Logistics - Case Study Example In the early 1900, Henry Ford, the owner of Ford Motor company became the world's richest men by his mass production success in the automobile industry. During World War II, the US government also requested him to mass produced bomber air crafts for the US Air Force. Ford Motor Company's production system during those years is a good example of a mass production system. Demand was so high, Ford has to mass produced to satisfy demand. Ford has all the good reason to hold high inventories during those years, that was, to please his customers by keeping a steady supply of his automobiles. This is also one of the reasons why some firms chose to mass produced. Another reason is the uncertainties in supply and supply capacity (Morton 1999). Toyota saw the success of Ford Motor but cannot replicate Henry Ford's production strategy due to the devastation suffered by Japan's economy after the war. This gave birth to a new concept of production where inventory level is zero, the lean production system, otherwise known as the Just-in-Time or JIT system. In the Machine That Changed the World, James Womack, used 'the term lean production to describe the profound revolution in manufacturing that was initiated by the Toyota Production System (cited by Asay, D. and Ott, S ,1998 ). Toyota's factories, along with most of its suppliers, can be spotted around Toyota City. Delivery of components and parts depended on the speed of the assembly line, and parts were delivered using logistics just at the right time when these are needed. The system eliminates the need to carry large inventories but close coordination between suppliers and logistics for the success of the system. When delivery of components or raw materials lagged behind, or when there are defects on deliveries, the strategic advantage and benefits that could have been gained from using the lean concept would be defeated. This led adherents of JIT to embark on a system of managing inventory and logistics in collaboration with total quality management (Heizer, Render 2001). The movement of supplies and other commodities from suppliers to users or consumers in the supply chain is a function of logistics. This is particularly important in a global economy where competition is borderless. International logistics therefore plays an important role in the success of production. The following section compares and contrast the traditional mass production system and lean production system. 2.0 Mass Production vs. Lean Production Traditional mass production differs from lean production in its overall organizational characteristics and manufacturing methods. Let us compare and contrast mass production as against lean production on the following terms: business strategy, organizational culture, customer relationship, production and scheduling, inventory management, quality assurance, information management and manufacturing cost. 2.1 Business Strategy In mass production strategy, the focus is on exploiting economies of scale of existing products and technologies. This strategy takes advantage of the decrease in the unit cost of the product as the volume of production per period of time increases (Kroll, et al, 1996). On the other hand, lean production strategy is customer focused. It seeks to identify and exploit new opportunities and competitive advantage through product design,

African American and Their Rights Essay Example for Free

African American and Their Rights Essay Since slavery, African Americans have gone through a lot to reach their current state. In the early 20th century, African Americans faced discrimination, isolation, and were segregated according to their skin color. It started when Europeans brought the first Africans to America, and continued throughout the Civil War. The American government made some changes in policies. A variety of leaders shaped the successful struggle toward black equality in America (Bowles, 2011). Ever since slavery begun, African Americans have been determined to end segregation, discrimination, and isolation. Activists such as, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and others, joined together to put an end to segregation, discrimination, and isolation to attain civil rights and equality. Slavery had changed dramatically in the late 1600s. About this time the slave trade to American colonies also began increasing to meet the demand for cheap labor. Traders sold slaves to the Northern colonies, but English and other European immigrants satisfied the demand for labor there (Echerd, 2009). Slaves in America came from western and central Africa. African tribes sometimes enslaved those defeated in intertribal wars and sold their captives to European slave traders. The tribes raided villages to obtain slaves to trade for European goods. Slave traders had even offered the Africans guns and other goods for the slaves. Slaves lived a rough, hard life. Cheap labor was a huge part of their lives. They had to work from sunrise to sunset. The work consisted of clearing land, tended to fields of tobacco, rice, and vegetables. They also performed many other tasks that had helped make plantations almost completely self-sufficient. No slaves saw any money for their tasks that they had performed, but they did receive food, clothing, and shelter. The slaves had resided in small one-room huts, which had no windows and the floors were all dirt. Most slaves accepted their living condition, however, they knew no other way of life (Koehler, 2009). However, white Southerners regained control of state governments in the South during the late 1870s, however, and reversed most of the previous gains made by former slaves. For example: segregation. What is segregation? According to Webster’s Dictionary, to segregate is defined as to separate or set apart from others; isolate or to require, often with force, the separation of a specific racial, religious, or other group from the body of society. Segregation has been a part of our American heritage, almost from the moment slaves arrived on the shores of the New World (Bowles, 2011). In 17th century Virginia, the theocratic government feared that racial mixing between freed and enslaved blacks and white indentured servants would become a means to usurp government power. They passed laws in which the color line was clearly defined in any criminal punishments. By treating whites and blacks separately and unequally, these Virginian leaders set up a system of white supremacy that would become an essential component of American slavery. Separation and segregation was the order of the day, with African Americans being forced to ride in separate railroad cars, have their own hotels and courthouses, and even get water out of their own drinking fountains. Their children could not attend the same schools with the White children. To further push the color-line, they then added in segregation with the Jim Crow Laws. This is mainly because the Whites were considered to be superior, and hence were thought to deserve better schools with better facilities. African Americans on the other hand were considered inferior, and hence their children attended low-quality schools that lacked adequate facilities (Sitkoff Franklin, 2008). The Northern States, which had grew and prospered during the war, believed the former slaves to be equal as any other person. The Southern States, still angry over the loss of the war and their firm belief in White superiority, took a different approach. They created and enforced what were known as the Black Codes. These were legislations passed in Southern states to control labor, migration and other activities of the freed slaves. Black Codes allowed legal marriage, property ownership and limited access to the court systems. It prohibited them from testifying against whites, serving on juries or militias, voting and publicly expressing any form of legal concerns ( www. history. com). Any former slave that did not sign yearly labor contract with the plantation owners could be arrested and hired out. The Black codes in short allowed for the continued and legal discrimination against the former slaves (www. history. com). Congress quickly responded to these laws in 1866 and seized the initiative in remaking the south. Republicans wanted to ensure that with the remaking the south, freed blacks were made viable members of society. But the strong southern legislatures finally gave in; in 1868 they repealed most of the laws that discriminated against blacks. Things were starting to look up. But by 1877 Democratic parties regained their power of the south and ended reconstruction. In 1882, southern states passed Jim Crow laws that enforced strict segregation between blacks and whites and limited African-American civil rights. This was devastating to the blacks. After all the strides they made were reversed. From holding political offices, the right to vote, and participating as equal members of society was changed. The south gradually reinstated the racially discriminatory laws. The two main goals they wanted these laws to achieve: disenfranchisement and segregation. To take away the power that the blacks had gained, the Democratic Party began to stop Blacks from voting. There were many ways to stop blacks from voting. Some of these things were poll tax, which were fees were charged at voting booths and were expensive for most blacks, and the literacy test. Since teaching blacks were illegal, most adult blacks were former slaves and illiterate. And the other goal, segregation, causes the democrats to create laws that segregated the schools and public facilities. The Northern States, which had grew and prospered during the war, believed the former slaves to be equal as any other person. The Southern States, still angry over the loss of the war and their firm belief in White superiority, took a different approach. They created and enforced what were known as the Black Codes. These were legislations passed in Southern states to control labor, migration and other activities of the freed slaves. Black Codes allowed legal marriage, property ownership and limited access to the court systems. It prohibited them from testifying against whites, serving on juries or militias, voting and publicly expressing any form of legal concerns. Any former slave that did not sign yearly labor contract with the plantation owners could be arrested and hired out. The Black codes in short allowed for the continued and legal discrimination against the former slaves. Just like some African Americans activists fought this segregation, some Whites had some groups of their own to carry the segregation on and on. The Ku Klux Klan was one of them. The Ku Klux Klan, Knights of White Camellia, and other terrorists murdered thousands of blacks and some whites to prevent them from voting and participating in public life. The KKK was founded in 1865 to 1866. They directed their violence towards black landowners, politicians, and community leaders. They also did this to people who supported Republicans or racial equalities (Anti-Defamation League, 2012). After the abolishment of slavery in the U. S. the KKK formed. They hated blacks and would commit crimes against them. Murders, hangings, and lynches are just some of the crimes against the blacks (www. kkk. bz, n. d. ). The Ku Klux Klan claims to be just defending their people like other races do. What is a lynching? Lynching is a form of punishment with no legal permission. Most times lynching occurred against African Americans by hanging them. This was very popular during the Gilded Age after the American Civil War when African Americans were freed from slavery. Many White men would use lynching against Black men for being in a mixed relationship with a White woman. However, because lynching had no legal basis, it was thought to have been a tool that was used against freed slaves that had achieved financial stability and authority in order to remain a White-dominated nation. Lynching was most likely performed by White Supremacy groups like the KKK. Lynching was done by hanging or shooting, or both. However, many were of a more hideous nature. Burning at the stake, maiming, dismemberment, castration, and other brutal methods of physical torture are all part of a lynching. Lynching therefore was a cruel combination of racism and sadism, which was utilized primarily to sustain the caste system in the South. Many white people believed that Negroes could only be controlled by fear. To them, lynching was seen as the most effective means of control. Defending your people is one thing, but to torture another human being is inhuman. The KKK has several stories out there today on how they treated the blacks, whether they did anything wrong or not. For instance, a Louisiana woman is in critical condition after she was set on fire, resulting in burns on roughly 60 percent of her body, and her car appears to have had racial slurs written on it at the time of her attack (Mach, n. d. ). They had even gone as far as church bombings. The KKK launched a bomb into a church during a Sunday service, which left four innocent teenage girls dead. The men responsible hid behind the cloak of secrecy, intimidation and the white robes of the oldest terrorist organization in the world, the Ku Klux Klan (Gado, n. d. ). Therefore, until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, racial discrimination is an issue that was not seriously tackled. The act was a successful result of most wide-ranging civil rights legislation and Civil Rights Movements for close to a century (Finkelman, 2009). The act declared discrimination on the basis of color, race, ethnicity, religion, and many other aspects as unconstitutional. During the critical years from 1954 to 1963, a variety of leaders with different backgrounds, such as lawyers from the NAACP, women sitting on buses, ministers from southern black churches, militants from black power organizations, and youth from colleges had shaped the successful struggle toward black equality in America (Bowles, 2011). In 1896, the Supreme Court’s Plessy v. Ferguson decision established that â€Å"separate but equal† facilities for whites and blacks were allowable under the U. S. Constitution. Local governmental officials could designate separate public facilities like drinking fountains, restrooms, and schools. Even courthouses often had separate Bibles according to the defendant’s race. The problem was that separate usually meant unequal, and segregation subverted the freedom of every African American (Sundquist, 1993). Now, it is time for the African- Americans to fight back. The incident that made them want to make a difference was the Rosa Park bus ride. After a long day of work on December 1, 1955, Parks, feet hurt, looked forward to sitting on the bus for her ride home. At the time, there was a city ordinance stating that African Americans had to give up their seats on a train or bus if a white man asked for them. When a white man approached Parks and told her that he wanted her seat, she simply said no. Although she acted as a private citizen, her response was as an informed, committed member of the NAACP movement. The bus driver had asked Parks to move. When she did not, the bus driver said, â€Å"Look, woman, I told you I wanted the seat. Are you going to stand up? † When Parks again said no, the driver threatened, â€Å"If you don’t stand up, I’m going to have you arrested. † She gave no reply but at the next stop, Rosa was arrested (Garrow, 2004). A pastor known as Martin Luther King Jr., organized a boycott, the Montgomery bus boycott. King Jr. took this to a higher level and maintained and organized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which coordinated similar bus boycotts in other cities. Shortly after the boycott, King had found a bomb on his porch. King went to Birmingham, Alabama, where he continued his nonviolent protests and marches. However, the police authorized force to disband King’s followers by using electric cattle prods, tear gas, and fire hoses (Bowles, 2011). King was arrested with the others, but upon his release from jail he went to Washington, D. C., where he and demonstrators met at the National Mall and addressed them with his famous â€Å"We Shall Overcome† speech on August 23, 1963. King’s words at the capital that day were a defining moment of the Civil Rights movement. Other demonstrations and civil disobedience campaigns sought to increase African-American voter registration and win better jobs. Malcolm X actively promoted the Black Muslim cause. Even after speaking about non-violence and wanting peace, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The civil rights movement dramatically increased participation of African- American voters in both the South and the North today. By the mid-70s some 4000 African-Americans have been elected to political office at all levels of government. Qualified African-Americans now have a wider range of opportunities than ever before. Whether you are White or African-American, each group has faced its own peculiar challenges on its approach to democracy (Rappaport, 2001). This racism is wrong and unconstitutional. The 13th Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery, which some people still went against it. The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to the former slaves and forbade states from denying any person life, liberty, or property without due process of the law. The 14th Amendment also guaranteed equal protection of the law for all citizens. The 15th Amendment barred states from denying citizens the right to vote based on race, color, or previous servitude (Hertz, 2009). In a perfect world, everyone would be equal. The color of one’s skin, religious beliefs or sexual preference would mean nothing. We would accept everyone for whom and what they are. We would rejoice in the differences between each other instead of belittling, hating and discriminating against those differences. We don’t however live in a perfect world. We live in a world filled with distrust and hate. If we don’t know or understand it in our society, then it is wrong. It will be discriminated against in one form or another. We as a country have made major strides in overcoming racism, however we still have far to go. In conclusion, African Americans faced isolation, discrimination, and segregation during the post-construction period. Racial discrimination was also prevalent in the military where back soldiers were considered inferior to white soldiers and hence poorly trained and equipped. The issue of racial discrimination, isolation and segregation was not seriously tackled until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Civil rights activists such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. organized the famous 1963 protest in Washington that eventually forced President John Kennedy to pass the Act. It is therefore, clear that the journey to end isolation, discrimination, and segregation to attain equality and civil rights has been hard but worthwhile. ? References Bowles, M. (2011). American History 1865- Present End of Isolation. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint. Retrieved at: https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUHIS204. 11. 2 Finkelman, P. (2009) Encyclopedia of African American history, 1896-present, Madison Avenue, New York: Oxford University Press Rappaport, D. (2001). Martins Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sitkoff, H. , Franklin, J. (2008) The Struggle for Black equality. Hill and Wang Publication http://www. adl. org/learn/ext_us/kkk/default. asp? LEARN_Cat=ExtremismLEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_Americaxpicked=4item=kkk http://www. history. com/topics/black-codes Civil Rights Act of 1964 http://www. ourdocuments. gov/doc. php? doc=97page=transcript.