Global Warming and Its Management Essay

Managers are the most important human resource in any organization because they are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the organizational goals are achieved within the specific time through a good business environment. Both organizations and people need each other to further their different goals or objectives. Therefore if mutuality is missing, it makes no sense in trying to assemble a group and develop a cooperation because there is no common base on which to build. Therefore, for attainment of organizational effectiveness, human resource and especially the managers is the most important asset that must be paid attention by the management. (Rampton, 2003) Causes of global climate change From this article we find that Dr Walker suggest that global climate change is not necessarily caused by the increased use of the fossil fuel, many scientists have been found to be against his arguments claiming that most of the global warming cases are caused by human activities apart from that caused by climatic changes, whereby we find that they reported that in the year 1998 the earth was found to be warmest as compared to the current years arguing that the carbon dioxide concentration is higher claiming that it has increased by over three percent, these scientists claim that a rise in the global warming is mainly caused by the following factors There have been heated political, religious, social and scientific arguments about what could be the causes of global warming. Scientifically, burning of fossil fuels such as petrol, coal, electricity, garbage disposal, and methane from reared animals’ e. g. dairy cattle, goats and sheep the atmosphere of the earth is everywhere and it includes the air we breathe. The earth’s surface, water, land, and the whole biosphere absorb the heat from the sun after which it sends it back to the atmosphere. However, some of the sunlight energy passes back to the space while a good percentage is trapped by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere thus causing the earth to heat up. (Maslin, 2004) From the article we find that Dr Walker says that most of the green house gas effects are brought up by the existing water vapor and the carbon dioxide resulting from the human activities he is reported saying that â€Å"the anthropogenic carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere makes an insignificant contribution to the enhanced greenhouse gas effect’ research indicates that many scientists are against the Doctors ideas are incorrect they bring in the idea that in the cases where there is an increase in the concentration of the carbon dioxide with the combination of the other green house gases will actually lead to an increase to the amount of vapour in the atmosphere and since scientifically vapour is found to be a strong green house gas cause an increase in the atmospheric temperature which is regarded as a positive effect to the atmospheric change. This vapour also leads to the formation of cloudiness which brings in cooling effect to the atmospheric temperate which many scientists regard it as a negative effect. The article indicates that eighty five percent of the global temperatures come up as a result the emission of the green house gases while fifteen percent of the temperature is caused by other factors Planning and Controlling Functions This paper will focus on the planning and controlling functions of management and how managers can utilize such functions to reduce the effects of changing climate in the business world. As Dr. Len walker puts it; â€Å"cool heads needed on global warming† (Paul, 2007). There have been heated political, religious, social and scientific arguments about what could be the causes of global warming. Scientifically, burning of fossil fuels such as petrol, coal, electricity, garbage disposal, and methane from reared animals’ e. g. dairy cattle, goats and sheep affects the atmosphere of the earth everywhere and it includes the air we breathe. The earth’s surface, water, land, and the whole biosphere absorb the heat from the sun after which it sends it back to the atmosphere. However, some of the sunlight energy passes back to the space while a good percentage is trapped by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere thus causing the earth to heat up. It is prudent therefore for managers to put in place plan of actions that will ensure the economic growth of their businesses despite the negative effects of global warming. Therefore such scenarios necessitates the willpower and the knowledge of planning and controlling management activities from the current managers in order to avoid adverse effects caused by changing climate. (Hilltop, 1994) According to the latest research, reports suggest that managers have a discrete and decisive function in all organizations particularly in the debate on global warming and they do not only act as a medium between the top managers and the external bodies such as the UN. Managers in many organizations in an effort to be effective and efficient in the understanding of global warming effects have the planning responsibility of balancing the ever competing demands of their roles brought about by effects of changing climate in the world. In order to attain the above objective this managers have embarked on planning and controlling roles in order to avoid any unwanted outcome as a result of changing climate and thus achieve the desired output. Such roles include the following Managers in most organizations through the overall controlling function act as change agents within these organizations. There is increased interaction of people from different cultures, societies, and various backgrounds in undertaking various business activities with the aim of achieving their goals for example opening of more branches that has effects on the business environment . e. g through pollution. Because of invention of advanced technology the world has increasingly become a village and as a result global business is the modern form of business in this 21st century. Therefore managers are expected to strategize on the best controlling measures of changing climate in order to change the business activities to the desired levels that do not further effects of global warming. (Rampton, 2003) Because of globalization in relation to business firms there have been great disregard to national borders, governments have lower hand in controlling the flow of their economies and large companies including organizations are now not restricted to only one particular country as it was before. Managers in these organizations through the planning function have to cope with changes brought about by this aspect of globalization particularly on the issues relating to garbage and sewerage treatment. This implies that mangers have to incorporate the desired actions in the planning process in order to curb the changing climate that may affect the success of businesses in the future. They also have the task of ensuring that the employees in the organizations are well equipped with skills, expertise, and knowledge that can help understand the effects of global warming. Middle managers have the planning duty of being a strategist in order to cope with the increasing demands particularly with regards to the effects of global warming on success of an organization. This implies that they have the tasks of ensuring that the strategies formulated by the organization are implemented and executed in a good way that will lead to decreasing the effects of global warming. They should therefore have the ability to interpret direction from the external bodies like the United Nations in to functional departmental strategies and policies that will avoid any conflicts in the organization and those plans must be viable and supportive for the mission of the organization regarding changing in climate. (Maundy, 2001) In order to enhance this responsibility’ the managers must pay much attention to formulation of workable strategies. A strategy may be defined as the calculated means by which the enterprise deploys its resources to accomplish its purpose and basic objectives under the most advantageous circumstances. Therefore the mangers have the task of ensuring that the organization for example a multinational firm must be overall low cost effective system which will ensure good systems of controlling pollution, sewerage and garbage treatment among other climate effects by using of advanced technologies. So the work of middle managers is to ensure sourcing of competent expertise and application of approved high quality technologies e. g. the use of approved chemicals in treating of sewerages. This implies that planning and controlling functions will be required by managers in order to enhance formulation of viable strategies as well as setting parameters on how such strategies are controlled. Managers must also act at as ethicists in any organization in order to balance the competing demands brought about by the effects of global warming. This role implies that the managers should develop a system that will help them sustain pressure from external forces in the process of promoting positive effects of global warming. This implies managers must show commitment, support and cooperation among the top management, low level management or the subordinates and themselves regarding the controlling of effects of climate changes. For these managers to maximize the concept of teamwork in the organization then they should emphasize on formation of groups within the workplace. A group can be defined as social unit which people interacts face to face when working. If an organization emphasizes group work then it is more likely that good results will be achieved. Sometimes some kind of work require teamwork participation in order to achieve goals, so managers should encourage group decisions too because they bound to succeed unlike individual decisions. This may involve planning function of coming up with ideas regarding making decisions jointly concerning how to curb the effects of global warming. (Maundy, 2001) Economic Effects The economic implications of global climate change are worse since these weather phenomenons occur unpredictably. Insurance companies for example have a lot to loose when a weather condition such as the El Nino damage property and businesses which makes it not only difficult to compensate but also expensive to cater for. Economic implications are considered to be harsh for third world countries as compared to developed countries because they lack the capacity to counter such disasters of big magnitudes. The other sector of the economy affected by global warming is the transport sector. Most of the infrastructure in Indonesia and India has collapsed as an outcome of these disasters thus making it very expensive for the countries to repair and maintain them. Agricultural production being dependant on weather conditions of a particular place is under threat from global warming. Countries in the Islands such as Madagascar produce very little agricultural produce not because they lack the water but because the conditions there are very uncertain and also harsh such that only greenhouses can produce well.

Loyalty Marketing

Customer Loyalty Program for Restaurants in a five Star Hotel:Customer marketing long since began when marketing practices started.   Loyalty marketing is not a new concept.   Best customers generate most profits an example was in the 50s when ‘mom & pop stores look after its best customers.   A good customer spends more than thirty percent and keeps coming back but worst customers are less loyal.Chris X. Moloney and Fred Reichheld noted that loyalty marketing has a new marketing discipline called â€Å"Customer Advocacy Marketing† (CAM).   This programme in marketing is strongly linked with loyalty and customer referral (Wikepedia).With the future, it seems that new technology can always be costly but it is a marketer’s friend.   Hence, technologies and techniques of the past in some tasks are most reliable and appropriate especially in the business of hospitality and restaurants particularly for tasks where attitudes and habits of consumers are difficu lt to change.I.   Customer Loyalty – its benefitsThe rapid advancement of technology, relations between the 21st century customer and supplier needs to be nurtured because of growing competition and new demands or high customers’ expectations.   Restaurant businesses grow faster than the rate of demand.   A business is building up then suddenly a new comer comes along.   For this reason, it made sense to nurture or retain regular good customers than to attract new ones.a. Long Term ProfitabilityMarketing is supposed to contribute long term profitability into a business but competition is intense.   Now it is important to regard its effort in a changing marketplace.First of all we must check how a loyalty program fits an establishment, how can it continue to progress, and how to encourage future investment for its continuous development or its expansion?Customer Loyalty Program is only one aspect of the comprehensive marketing techniques but it is the central pillar of the plan.   In the article written by Randolph Hobler he noted that only 5% of the top 130 restaurants in the US have loyalty programs (Hobler).   Sixty percent of consumers go to restaurants with rewards program.   However, despite of the knowledge that a good loyalty program pays back from the very beginning; (example is the Tesco’s Club Card who makes money from day to day). Still, only twenty five percent of the National Restaurant Association in the U.S. used loyalty program.To attain this program data must be collected and from these data a study or an intelligent interpretation should be provided to have much clearer picture on the customer base.   Most of the program will have this question â€Å"When is the payback begun to happen?†Ã‚   For some it happens right away but in some it will depend on the circumstances.b. Customer RetentionHigh performing companies retains customers and magnets other clients.   Businesses that retains its client s makes more money at lower cost than the one who constantly pays for advertisements just to invite new customers.   A loyal customer depends mainly on the good and sound practice of the business and its marketing schemes at all times.   Clients are normally easy to lose than to win.Retaining customers have simple principles:   know your clients and reward them.It is important to perform the following tasks:a. Study the peak-hour and plan to retain the number of customers at slow times.b. Make new menu items and take-out productsc. Provide functions activities such as parties with specialty drinksd. Up-sell products like value mealse. Provide incentives and encourage secure registering and loading of cardsf. Changing business operations for a greater profit must also be considered by creating an economic balance between getting the attention of customers and in giving them rewards.II. How to build customer loyalty – its factorsCritical factors to built customer loyaltyM arket Size or EstimationThis is a tool which gives very good guidelines to calculate market sizes reasonably of the member base who would receive loyalty programs or rewards.Trends and ForecastTrends means consumer behavior and spending patterns based on customer marketing initiatives and forecasts of future marketing campaigns.Best practices and InnovationsProblems with loyalty programs and practices will be examined like issues and pitfalls, corporate values and visions including inconsistent messages to consumers, comparing loyalty rewards from competitors and finding out what does not work.Best Customer Marketing Access Pricing and Customer Lifetime ValueAs it implies, directing good customers since they bring the most profit.   Since pricing strategy is the key features in every business, best customers should have access to discounted pricing throughout its lifetime.   Customers may collect points on their purchase on a frequent or everyday basis measuring loyalty’s effect on the customer’s lifetime value.Essential data or business models can be used to analyze CLV calculations.  Ã‚   â€Å"The most important factor in consumer loyalty program is the price†(Weiss). Although it is important not all people buy because of the price but sometimes because of   loyalty to the brand.Customer loyalty and analysis – New toolsWe do not develop loyalty tools from scratch but examine newer tools used by the loyalty rewards program.   Some of them are:   The loyalty token – it is the bit of the program that members carry in order to have contact with the program.   An advantage of this is to link the transaction with the database however those data can be transmitted to and fro.   Why?   It is important to search the true value and function of a reward, its properties, getting the most of it, and the reward redemption process.Human Aspect of the Loyalty programThe aspect of human loyalty is very important.   This is the cycle of customer – employee – shareholder/owner relationships.   These are actions and emotions that must satisfy every human condition.   This is also one way of keeping clients happy with a new policy since most of the time the front liners are the one who deals with customers closely and yet are the ones who are underpaid.Customer loyalty program for hotels, resorts and casinosOne reason why restaurants in hotels are not expanding on its reward program is due to the fact that almost 50% of visitors do not belong to any loyalty program.   The business is still an untapped market.  Ã‚   For instance the use of wireless consoles to summon waiters, loyalty programs with personalize services such as greeting the customer by the name and   seats the client at their favorite table with his usual drink etc.. Technologies are also employed to hasten meal preparations.The future of loyalty as what experts thinks:The best way of looking into the future is to examine what happened in the past and from that make a projection.   Though it is hard to make expectations because sometimes things happen when you least expect it.The trend for globalization will have two distinctive effects. One, there will be no division in the international border.   We will have a global macro-regional system as opposed to centralized system we have today.  Ã‚   Second, worldwide trend on customer loyalty will be more difficult to develop because of the ever changing consumer values. (Trend).The future is here today. It would be to the disadvantage of new marketers of today if they would not embrace the new technologies.We are expected to see in the future more sophisticated innovations and consumers will expect more points to buy items which ordinarily are out of reach.   Marketers who will not embrace this change will be at the least advantage state.Since the opening of Scala’s Bistro in 1995 a culinary of French and Italian countryside, the restaurants focused on list of primarily California and Italian selections of wine along with few French varietals.   Scala offers 10-15 choices by the glass and 150 selections by the bottle.   The restaurants serve culinary delights of both Italy and France; fresh local vegetables combine to a rustic innovative menu.   It has offered 18% of gratuity to parties of more than six.   One can be found at 432 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA. or search the web to find out comments of its satisfied customers.References:Hobler, Randolph. â€Å"Late to the Table.† 2006.Trend, Herman. â€Å"The Future of Customer Loyalty â€Å", 2007.Weiss, Allen. â€Å"Is Price *Really* the Most Important Factor in Consumer Loyalty?† 2007.Wikepedia. â€Å"Loyalty Marketing.† 2007.

Customs Union

Outline I. Introduction Thesis statement: The Customs Union for Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus is a purposeful union, which serves to meet several aims. II. Body A. In the light of common aspiration to the WTO accession, it is worth of examining why preference of states was given to multilateral over preferential trade. B. The idea of the multilateral cooperation and creation of a common economic space, elimination of borders and regional integration is not new in the post-Soviet space. 1. â€Å"Putinomics† an attempt of Putin to bring back Soviet Union and Russian supremacy; 2. â€Å"Eurasian Union† similar to â€Å"ASEAN†;C. In theory, customs unions are created to eliminate the trade barriers and decrease customs obligations between several states. 1. It requires confidence in partners and share of responsibilities; 2. single economic region; D. There are many different assumptions why Customs Union was created. 1. supremacy of Russia over the territory of th e former Soviet states; 2. a strategic step in the WTO accession; 3. reduction of Chinese influence and prevent massive imports of Chinese goods; 4. beneficial for entrepreneurs and domestic production enterprises; 5. fair competition; 6. ffective legal protection against corrupt schemes and fraud mechanisms; E. Several other post-Soviet neighboring states were also invited to join the club. 1. The Ukraine; 2. Tajikistan; 3. Kyrgyzstan; F. It is noteworthy of saying that pre-existing Customs Union trade relations and economic ties cannot be described as dynamic ones. 1. statistical numbers; G. An interesting observation is that â€Å"with few exceptions, all the countries bordering the Western fringes of the former Soviet Union have intensified their trade relations with the European Union as well as with China, whose importance in Central Asian trade has been growing. . statistical data; H. Official Astana firmly defended its position on the Customs Union accession, and denied any political motivations behind the membership of the alliance with Russia and Belarus. 1. a unified customs territory would make Kazakhstan even more attractive for foreign investors; 2. geopolitical position, as the largest land-locked country; 3. access to global markets; 4. expand trade with Russia and China; 5. diversity of economy through technological and service advances; I. Belarusian position toward the Customs Union brought many obstacles. 1. â€Å"arm-twisting† politics of the Kremlin; 2. Russian pressure;J. At first it seemed that Russia benefited from creation of the Customs Union more than others, as it has the largest market and biggest production industries. 1. diversification of opinions; K. What does the World Trade Organization is? 1. a network of agreements; 2. a single system, which regulates trade relations of members; 3. advantages and requirements; L. The decision to create the Customs Union between three states could signal willingness to engage in dee per cooperation and integration, and thus, the WTO accession provides access to more states willing to cooperate and a platform for finding new â€Å"friends†. . advantages and disadvantages of being a member of WTO; M. Russia was the only Security Council and G8 member not on the WTO, thus its accession was a requirement to be fully admitted as one of the superpowers. 1. further policy of Russia toward Kazakhstan and Belarus; III. Conclusion Creation of the Customs Union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan caused a lot of debates about why these countries are forming the union, what are the benefits that they get and why exactly these states?First of all, I would like to define the meaning of â€Å"Customs Union†. According to Business Dictionary â€Å"Customs Union is an agreement  between two or more (usually neighboring)  countries to remove  trade barriers, and reduce or eliminate  customs duty on  mutual trade. A customs union (unlike a  free trad e area) generally imposes a  common external-tariff (CTF) on  imports from non-member countries and (unlike a  common market) generally does not allow  free  movement of  capital and  labor among member countries† (Business Dictionary. com, n. d. ).In part, debates were around preference of regional over multilateral trade, as for many years Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan aspired to join the World Trade Organization (WTO); therefore, creation of the Customs Union was at first seen as an alternative to the WTO accession. However, just after the ratification of the Customs Union charter and all relevant agreements, Russia joins WTO club and leaves the rest to wonder what is going to happen to the Customs Union. The Customs Union for Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus is a purposeful union, which serves to meet several aims.In the light of common aspiration to the WTO accession, it is worth of examining why preference of states was given to multilateral over preferenti al trade. In particular what pre-conditions existed prior to the Customs Union creation that inspired Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan to create the Union and what benefits it provided that three states could not obtain by joining the WTO only? The idea of the multilateral cooperation and creation of a common economic space, elimination of borders and regional integration is not new in the post-Soviet space.Adelaja (2012) asserts that a number of political scientists and former Soviet Republics believe in so called â€Å"Putinomics† – an attempt of Putin to bring back Soviet Union and Russian supremacy (p. 1). It is difficult to label the Customs Union creation an attempt to bring back the Soviet Union and expansion of the Russian authority over the territory of the former Soviet states. However, the countries are clearly bound by the common past that unlike others (Ukraine, Turkmenistan) makes Kazakhstan and Belarus seek for cooperation with Russia. According to Eurasia n Union (n. d. , another regional cooperation the idea of â€Å"Eurasian Union† belongs to Nursultan Nazarbaev, the idea is to create a union similar to ASEAN (p. 3). After collapse of the Soviet Union, states tend to isolate themselves from their post-Soviet neighbors and especially from Russia. In part, it happens due to unwillingness to cooperate with possibly depending neighbors and also due to the aspiration to get rid of rudiments of the Soviet centralized economy that intentionally established mutual dependence of the Union states. Thus, existing regional organizations are not effective in terms of policy implementation.CIS and EurAsEC could become a platform for negotiations and decision making over regional integration. However, states are reluctant to give up their sovereignty and create supranational body authorized to decide on behalf of its member states. Instead, states were defining their foreign policies depending on national interest and regional integration was not one of them. Thus, Customs Union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan could become first real and effectively operating regional cooperation body, where states would indeed execute provisions of signed agreements and declarations.In theory, customs unions are created to eliminate the trade barriers and decrease customs obligations between several states. It requires confidence in partners and share of responsibilities. Initially, the Customs Union was created and signed by Kazakhstan and Russia. Belarus was negotiating its interests with Russia and postponed ratification of the agreement until July 2011. To illustrate the advantages of the union, official media was speculating with huge market that the Customs Union opens for three states. The union has a population of 167 million, a total GDP of USD 2 trillion and goods turnover of USD 900 billion. The aim of the Customs Union is to create a single economic region and eliminate the state borders and to facilitate the free dom of movement† (Krotov, 2010, p. 1). According to Prajakti and Varadzhakov (2012), further to demonstrate that the Customs Union brings advantages not only to Russia, official media reported Kazakhstan agriculture and steel sectors will benefit from newly introduced import duties for non-Customs Union member states (p. ). In addition, Kazakh and Belarus obtained access to Russian labor market. In general, the Customs Union agreements should have improved quality of goods, increase competition and help diversify economies of three states. There are many different assumptions why Customs Union was created. Some see hidden agenda and conspiracy behind creation of the union. Opponents of the Customs Union claim that it only benefits Russia and establishes its supremacy over the territory of the former Soviet states.Zlatkin (2012) comments that opponents also interpret Belarus unwillingness to join the union as a rebellion against Russia, and say that in the end Belarus was force d to join the union. Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus (2012) Russian supporters say that the creation of the Customs Union was a strategic step in the WTO accession, as it was obvious that Russia will become a member first and then it will promote its partners in the WTO accession (p. 1). In the end, they add that Russia needs reliable partners and friends in the WTO and promotion of Kazakhstan and Belarus interests still benefits Russia.Russia, Belarus, Kazakh (2012) claim that the Customs Union was created to reduce Chinese influence and prevent massive imports of Chinese goods (p. 1). Other reasons are less sophisticated and mostly indicate economic benefits that three states obtain from participation in the union. â€Å"Eurasian Development Bank study released, that the effects of economic integration of 2011 – 2030 will reach 14% of gross domestic product of Belarus, 3. 5% in Kazakhstan, and Russia (2%)† (Russia, Belarus, Kazakh, 2012, p. ). The Customs Union was also said to be beneficial for entrepreneurs and domestic production enterprises, as they got greater market access, fair competition and effective legal protection against corrupt schemes and fraud mechanisms. Decreased trade barriers should have contributed to the free movement of goods and services between three countries, and improved quality of products. Russia, Belarus, Kazakh (2012) states that in total, Customs Union opened access to about 170 million consumers (p. ). Several other post-Soviet neighboring states were also invited to join the club. In particular they were Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan. None of three Central Asian countries have fully considered and started the Customs Union accession negotiations. Ukraine was assessing and comparing its benefits from the Customs Union versus WTO accession, as well as waiting for the decision on Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union.Adilaja (2012) asserts that in a while, official Kiev pr eferred to abandon its plans on the Customs Union accession negotiations, saying that this will destroy its ongoing negotiations with the European Union. According to Russia’s Inevitable (2012) asserts that for Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, membership in the Custom Union would have brought access to the labor market and increase cooperation in the field of the energy resources supply with Russia and Kazakhstan (p. 2).Although, Kyrgyzstan is currently a member of the WTO, its historical ties and economic dependency on Russian energy resources contributed to its willingness to join another union with Russia. It is noteworthy of saying that pre-existing Customs Union trade relations and economic ties cannot be described as dynamic ones. â€Å"European Union Institute for Security Studies describes trade relations between Customs Union member states prior to the Customs Union creation. In particular, share of intra-CU trade to the total amount of trade of CU-member states within th ree years prior to CU creation.Thus, 48. 1% of Belarusian the total amount of trade in 2008 accounts for Russia and Kazakhstan. While only 7. 3% of Russian trade turnover in 2008 accounts for Belarus and Kazakhstan. And 18. 8% of the total volume of Kazakhstan trade turnover accounted for Russia and Belarus in the same period. 2009 indicators did not change significantly, but in 2010, the year of establishment of the Customs Union, the share of intra-customs union trade of Russia dropped† (Zagorski, 2012, p. 5).An interesting observation is that â€Å"with few exceptions, all the countries bordering the Western fringes of the former Soviet Union have intensified their trade relations with the European Union as well as with China, whose importance in Central Asian trade has been growing. There is a trend that between 41 and 45% of Russian exports to former Soviet states are currently comprised of energy resources, while 39 percent of its imports consist of machines and equipme nt† (Adelaja, 2012, p. ). These facts makes many experts doubt trade relations of the Customs Union states; while others suggest that the Customs Union could become a fundamental change in relations between former Soviet states and that become a push to growth in trade. The figures mentioned above, as well as the fact that post-Soviet states were reluctant to form another union, made the decision to establish the Customs Union look spontaneous and unjustified.However, throughout the whole process of negotiations and ratification of the Customs Union policies and implementation of the necessary procedures, official governments were justifying their decision to create a union and finding new benefits of the participation in the regional cooperation between three states. Although not all of them played in a concert, all three were citing economic benefits that countries obtain from the participation in the regional union. Official Astana firmly defended its position on the Custom s Union accession, and denied any political motivations behind the membership of the alliance with Russia and Belarus.Kazakhstan officials were speculating that â€Å"a unified customs territory would make Kazakhstan even more attractive for foreign investors who have considered Kazakhstan as one of the most attractive markets in our part of the world† (Accession to the WTO, n. d. , p. 1). Kazakhstan also speculated over its geopolitical position, as the largest land-locked country and the state with the most number of transit routes that will ensure large income from transit tariffs.For Kazakhstan the membership in the Customs Union will increase access to global markets, expand trade with Russia and China, and diversity of economy through technological and service advances. Belarusian position toward the Customs Union brought many obstacles. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has openly complained about the â€Å"arm-twisting† politics of the Kremlin, saying t hat his country had been under pressure to cede control of some of its juiciest companies like Belarusian potassium company (Belkali) and Belarus’ state-run Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) unless the country joined the union. â€Å"Given the importance of ‘champion enterprises’ such as MAZ and Belkali for Belarus or Gazprom for Russia, it is still unclear how the states can agree on regulating these enterprises with supranational institutions, especially when they are governed not by economic, but by political logic,† said George Plaschinsky, an associate analyst at the Center for European Transformation in Minsk. â€Å"Previously the Russian authorities had an experience of imposing different decisions on gas and oil companies in order to achieve some political aims and assert them as the ‘energy superpower. † (Russia’s Customs Union, 2012, p. 2). At first it seemed that Russia benefited from creation of the Customs Union more than others , as it has the largest market and biggest production industries. Experts suggested that some competition from Kazakh and Belarusian producers will be beneficial, but not risky for Russian producers and entrepreneurs. In addition, it will create positive conditions for transition from Soviet centralized to market economy. Russia would also benefit from the labor market of its neighbors, as Russia’s own demographic situation is worse than in Kazakhstan and its population is aging.It is also working on North and South stream gas pipelines to bypass such transit countries, such as Ukraine. Thus, a union with some of its neighbors would ensure protection of Russia’s interests and concessional conditions for pipelines placement. In addition to traditional argument on competition for the regional dominance in the Central Asia, a union would solve some tensions between Russia and neighboring states regarding debt payment for gas supply, political influence and alliances creat ion.However, some experts were more skeptical. â€Å"Some businesses are likely to move to the neighboring states, like Kazakhstan, where the investment climate is more favorable,† said Alexei Devyatov, the chief economist at Ural Sib Capital (Adelaja, 2012, p. 2). Russia might also lose from the opening of it market to the labor from Kazakhstan and Belarus, as Russia also has a huge population of unskilled and unqualified population hat will be left out from participation in the marked taken over by foreign nationals.Considering positions of the Customs Union member states expressed above, it is crucial to consider what regulations or conditions influenced Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in their decision to access WTO. What does the World Trade Organization is? The WTO is a network of agreements. It unites states around the world into a single system and regulates their trade relations. The WTO member states may chose the degree if integration, but should aspire to opening o f deeper and wider access to domestic markets. The WTO member states are allowed to create the regional agreements and unions within the organization.General goal of the organization is free trade and liberalization of the economies. As it was mentioned above, the Customs Union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was also created to facilitate liberalization and decrease trade barriers without fully abolishing tariffs. The WTO does not require elimination of borders, unlike the customs union that stipulates common border and single economic space. Thus, the Customs Union requires deeper integration of its member states than primary WTO accession documents.The decision to create the Customs Union between three states could signal willingness to engage in deeper cooperation and integration, and thus, the WTO accession provides access to more states willing to cooperate and a platform for finding new â€Å"friends†. Creation of the Customs union with outside WTO partners can also be a sign that the state relies on partners who do not necessarily share the idea of free trade on global level. Interestingly, with the creation of the Customs Union, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus enhanced WTO accession process.In this case, the creation of the trade liberalization institution could be an illustration of states’ readiness to access the WTO and negotiate conditions. The main reason of the WTO accession for many states is said to be a wide access to foreign markets and integration into a global club of â€Å"advanced† nations. Some of the advantages are improved competition that ensures supply of qualified products, attraction of more foreign investors to the country, securing their interests and protection by legislation common in the WTO space, as well as lowering the costs of running business. According to General benefits from WTO (n. d. , however, there are also some disadvantages of being a WTO member, such as limited abilities to protect in fant industries, inability to compete with advanced economies, prohibition of governmental subsidies and elimination of fixed currency rates (p. 1). Economies of state applicants for the WTO accession should be ready for a drastic change and shock therapies. Even with the transitional period, the changes brought by the WTO accession and commitments made by states are significant. Russia was the only Security Council and G8 member not on the WTO, thus its accession was a requirement to be fully admitted as one of the superpowers.Putin and other Russian governmental officials assured other Customs Union member states that with the accession of Russia to the WTO, it is still going to preserve the Customs Union and keep close relations with Belarus and Kazakhstan. Furthermore, Russia has promised promotion of two countries in their accession to the WTO. Experts believe that Russia will not abandon its partners, as it is still interested in integration of the post-Soviet states, and will not give up on the struggle for domination in the region.Therefore, even after the WTO accession it is not efficient for Russia to exclude Kazakhstan and Belarus from its foreign policy. In case Kazakhstan is left outside of the WTO, it will become a reliable partner of Russia outside of the organization. While Belarus can be more reluctant in implementation of the agreement reached before the WTO accession. Thus, Russia will probably use more force to get Belarus remain in the union. Since Russia dominates in the union, in case all member states access the WTO, Russia will be established as a single power in the region that decides on economic and political processes.Other states will be bound by obligations under the agreements, and since their accession comes after Russia, it is most likely that they will negotiate similar if not the same tariffs as Russia did. Considering unequal political positions of the Customs Union member states, and economic ties prior to the creation of the Union that did not directly contributed to the establishment of the union, it can be assumed that the Customs Union was created as a demonstration of the commitment to the trade liberalization and aspiration to be a part of the globalized world.It is also important to mention that it is a Russian-led union and neither economies of its partner states or their political leadership are sufficiently competitive to challenge Russian industries, market and politics. Russia played very important role in the promotion of the idea of the union, and the Customs Union could become the first effectively working regional integration mechanism on the post-Soviet space. However, since Russia aspired to join the WTO, Customs Union member states have to catch up and also join the club, although they might be less interested in it than Russia.Bibliography Adelaja, T. (2012). Putinomics Abroad. Russia Profile, Section: Politics. Retrieved November 16, 2012 http://russiaprofile. org/politics/57118/ print_edition/ Krotov, I. (2010). Customs Union between the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community. World Customs Journal, 5 (2). Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. worldcustomsjournal. org/media/wcj/-2011/2/Krotov. pdf Prajakti, K. , & Varadzhakov, S. (2012).The Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus: First Steps Towards the Rivaval of the Silk Road, Academia, 894. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://cambridge-centralasia. academia. edu/PrajaktiKalra/Papers/472081/The_Customs_Union_between_Russia_Kazakhstan_and_Belarus_First_Steps_towards_the_Revival_of_the_Silk_Road Zagorski, A. (2012). Russia's neighbourhood policy. European Union Institute for Security Studies. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. iss. europa. eu/publications/detail/article/russias-neighbourhood-policy/Zlatkin, I. (2012). A Sovereign Surge, Not a Soviet Resurgence: The Mutualism of E urasian Reintegration. SRAS, The Journal of Russia and Asian Studies. Retrieved November 17, 2012, from http://www. sras. org/a_sovereign_surge_not_a_soviet_resurgence_the_mutualism_of_eurasian_reintegration IXGV, Financial News, â€Å"Russia, Belarus, Kazakh customs union will benefit enterprises in Asia†. (2012). p. 1. Retrieved November 17, 2012, from http://www. ixgw. com/2012/05/russia-belarus-kazakh-customs-union-will-benefit-enterprises-in-asia/Astana Economic Forum, News, â€Å"Nursultan Nazarbayev  «Eurasian Union: from idea to the history of the future »Ã¢â‚¬ , (n. d. ), pp. 1 – 10. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://aef. kz/upload/news/statya%20Nazarbayeva. pdf Belarus Digest, Economy, â€Å"WTO v. Customs Union: Russia Decides†. (n. d. ). Retrieved November 17, 2012, from http://belarusdigest. com/story/wto-v-customs-union-russia-decides-7434 Business Dictionary. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. businessdiction ary. com/definition/customs-union. htmlEmbassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Discover Kazakhstan, Economy, â€Å"Accession to the WTO†, (n. d. ). Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. kazakhembus. com/page/wto-accession The Fish Site, News and Analysis, â€Å"Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus Keep Customs Union†, (2012). p. 1. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. thefishsite. com/fishnews/17679/russia-kazakhstan-belarus-keep-customs-union U. S. A. Poultry and Eggs Export Council, News, Analysis, â€Å"Russia's Inevitable Customs Union in Central Asia†. (2012). pp. 1 – 3. Retrieved November 17, 2012, from http://www. usapeec. kz/en/news/10204/

Impacts of Social Media Marketing Essay

With the emergence of internet-based social media it has made it possible for people to communicate with thousands of other people around the world about products and the companies that provide these goods and services to them. Accordingly, the impact of consumer to consumer communications has been tremendously heightened within the marketplace. Many people would argue that social media is a hybrid element for promoting a company and its products, considering that in the traditional sense it allows companies to speak directly to their customers, while in a nontraditional sense it enables customers to talk directly to one another. The information, timing, and volume of social media-based conversations that occur between consumers are outside of a managers’ direct control. This goes against any traditional integrated marketing communications where there is a high sense of control from the manager. Thus, it is the managers’ responsibility to learn how to shape a consumers discussion in a manner that is consistent with their organizations mission statement and performance goals (Kerin, Hartley & Rudelius, 2009). Traditional Marketing Traditional marketing techniques involve direct mail, trade shows, television, radio broadcasting and social events which are still very prevalent and are still heavily used by many companies around the world to market products and the services offered by their companies. Marketing through television provides companies mass exposure to a wide array of individuals with a mass message. Many businesses don’t realize that television can often be one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising. The advantages of television are that it has everything needed to catch the attention of your projected audience: audio and visual. Community based television stations which are often looking for advertisers and are more willing to accommodate advertisers because of a less rigid schedule. Newspapers and classifieds are becoming increasingly popular and is a great way to target clients at a reasonable cost. The yellow pages have become a commonplace for companies who want to locate their specific business needs. Another way for businesses to market is with brochures, these are a great way of advertising a business. Depending on the type of business, brochures can be extremely useful. For a business that is in the industry of travel or tourism, brochures are a must, and there are multitudes of places where they can be displayed for customers to view. If a business is in a different type of industry it may be a little more difficult to find locations to display brochures, except to use them in mail drops, as handouts at trade shows and conventions, or for a direct mail out to potential customers. If a company is a manufacturer or supplier, it will need to provide their brochures to a distribution network. Brochures are a great way to market, but a company should make sure they are a cost-effective use of your time and investment, and if a company is going to produce brochures, they should know ahead of time how and where they will distribute them. Social Media Marketing Social media marketing represents low cost tools that are used to combine technology and social interaction with the use of words. These are typically internet based. Social media gives marketers a voice and allows them to communicate with their current customers and potential customers. Companies are able to personalize their brand and it gives them a way to spread their message in a relaxed and conversational way. Many people used to think Facebook was just for teens and young adults. Companies did not see much value for the social media site. That is all slowly changing though. Several companies are using Facebook to market their products and are seeing great success. Consider the following statistics provided between September 2008 and February 2009 the number of Facebook users between the ages of thirty five and forty four increased by 51%, user among the ages 45-54 jumped up 47 % and user ages 26-34 increased by 26 % more then half of Facebooks 140 million users are out of college. Clearly, social media is no longer just for the college student. Facebook is used as a marketing tool because it is easy to gain new clients, promote new products and services while offing deals and sales and staying in touch with your customers (Zarrella , 2009). Social media can be used to provide an identity for the products and services that a company has to offer. It can also create relationships using social media with people who might not otherwise know about a company’s products or services or what our companies represents. If a company wants new customers and retain their current ones they must establish a good relationship. Social media can be used to associate one’s self with their peers, which could be serving the same target market. It could also be used to communicate and provide an interaction with the consumers a company is looking for. Conclusion There are many advantages to using social media as a marketing tool for a company. However a company cannot just depend on social media alone to market their company, they must integrate it with other vehicles of marketing. While social media can create awareness for a company, it may not be the right form of advertising for a company. Companies must be consistent with any form of marketing that it chooses to use. The role that social media plays in the marketing of a company is to use it as a communication tool that allows a company access to those interested in their product and makes the company visible to those who do not know what services and products a particular company has to offer. It can be used as a tool to create a personality behind a company’s brand and create relationships that otherwise may never have happened. Social media cannot only create repeat-buyers for companies, but also customer loyalty. The fact that social media is so diversified and it can be used in several different ways, ways that best suit the interest and the needs of a company shows that it is a good source of marketing for any business (McAdams, Neslund & Zucker, 2008). The form of marketing that a company uses really comes down to what type of audience the company is trying to attract and what they can ultimately afford to spend on adverting and marketing for the company. Any of the marketing techniques work a company just has to be consistent with the form they choose to use. Social media marketing is the way of the future and is not going to go away anytime soon. References Zarrella , D. (2009). The social media marketing book. Kerin, R. A., Hartley, S. W., & Rudelius, W. (2009). Marketing. (9 ed.). McGraw-Hill/Irwin McAdams, T., Neslund, N., & Zucker, K. D. (2008). Law, business, and society. (Ninth ed.). McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Empowerment: Transforming Power and Powerlessness

The precise definition of transformational politics is a never ending issue in the governmental realm.   Consequently, Edward W. Schwerin stresses the idea in a connotation with deliberative state that such is a social and scholarly movement wherein such adherents are sharing an interest towards building a political community basically coherent to norms and other significant details in the concept of empowerment. Conceivably, these factors that build up the connotation are also based on standards such as cooperation, grassroots democracy, equality, environmental awareness and other demonstrative dynamics which possess the ability to the implications and the answers to how these dynamics are able to gain what tends to be the root on how â€Å"politics† and the people shall actually change or live with political decisions. Obviously, Shwerin’s definition and characterization of empowerment is derived from the philosophical works of Plato as well as with the idea that empowerment is in point of fact dependent on how the individual believes how one can be empowered or be disempowered for that instance. To quote his line with regard to the definition of â€Å"empowerment†Ã¢â‚¬â€the process of gaining mastery over one’s self and one’s environment in order to fulfill human needs (p.81)—perhaps his ideological definition may be correct in the factual basis, but if collaborated with the contemporary scenario, empowerment is not only conquered through an individual’s conception on such idea, but it must also be given by the environment upon which that person who wants to achieve such will be vested in the most holistic sense possible. Further, it would also be taken to assumption that Schwerin’s basis for stressing his views on â€Å"empowerment† are too vague and broad that upon arguing on the aforementioned perspective as a composition of the following: â€Å"self-worth, self-effectiveness, piece of knowledge and of abilities, awareness on the political aspect, and participation on socially and politically inclined events—it may be taken to assumption that he is nevertheless referring on the ideological perspective alone on transformational politics and not barely lingering on the schemes of contemporary deliberation and analysis on empowerment. However, his views on mediation experiences (p.93)—as empowering factors on individuals who participate on the ‘activities’—may be acceptable in further delight.   Specifically, his prediction that mediation trainees shall have personal empowerment is a great ordeal on understanding empowerment and the objective of empowering those who are powerless, per se. On the aspect of â€Å"grouping† and on the mediation strategy towards building a highly empowered group, his research has led him good value worth the critical analysis.   As far as political threshold is concerned, it is indeed realistic to say that mediators possess the higher chance to achieve â€Å"empowerment† rather than those who do not get exposed on the organizational activity—those who are experienced shall have the highest empowerment scores—more experience, greater the chance.   In the classroom basis, a â€Å"group of leaders† will have the highest score of getting â€Å"empowered† than only those who are considered as â€Å"group of mediators†Ã¢â‚¬â€intensive training is effective at teaching recruits (Schwerin, 1995).   Precisely true enough to prove his worth on his research. Levels of personal empowerment may be brought upon by training and the acquisition of knowledge, so to speak.   But the â€Å"real† empowerment comes from experience—dispute resolution, bringing up conflicts to a formal legal system—all these are piously given ample importance in trying to distinguish the definition of â€Å"empowerment.†Ã‚   Hence on personal opinion, empowerment may come from â€Å"own† beliefs but making other people believe that one is capable of such â€Å"high regard† is the best empowering method to be taken into account. Reference Schwerin, E. W. (1995). Mediation, Citizen Empowerment, and Transformational Politics. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers.      

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - Essay Example On August 02, 1964, â€Å"the destroyer ship Maddox, headed by Captain John Herrick (Operational Control), was cruising offshore in the international shores when North Vietnamese (NV) tried to approach it by dispatching soviet-built P-4 fast patrol torpedo boats (PTFs). Torpedoes were launched from North Vietnamese PTFs. Maddox retaliated with the support of F-8 Crusader jets that strafed all the NV PTFs (Hickman, K-a.,n.d.). The second attack occurred on August 04, 1964. Given the 1st reported attack, the U.S. was not in the position to ignore NV attacks. In fact, immediately the US reinforced Maddox with another destroyer USS Turner Joy (DD 951). On the night of August 04, the U.S. warships reported having made contact with North Vietnamese naval forces whom they claimed attacked these 2 destroyer ships (Hickman-a, n.d). â€Å"In response to these alleged attacks, the U.S. through the 7th Fleet carriers, Ticonderoga and USS Constellation (CVA64), launched retaliatory strikes against North Vietnam that destroyed an oil storage facility and damaged an enemy naval vessels† (Natasi, 2001). U.S. through Johnson proposed the passage of a joint resolution with Congress (H.J. RES 1145) dated August 07, 1964, known as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, described as the Southeast Asia Resolution, Public Law 88-408 which granted powers to President Lyndon Johnson to escalate U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War without a declaration of war. (Hickman, K-b.,n.d.), (â€Å"Tonkin Gulf Resolution†, n.d.) and (â€Å" Gulf of Tonkin Resolution†, n.d.). â€Å"The controversy about the Gulf of Tonkin incident came out after 40 years later when National Security Agency (NSA) declassified and released this material to the public†.

An investigation into the effectiveness of Arbitration as an Literature review

An investigation into the effectiveness of Arbitration as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) within the U.K construction in - Literature review Example Corporate social responsibility calls for taking care of the interests of the various stakeholders of the business and amicable settlement of the disputes in the industry through ADR by avoiding litigations. According to the research conducted by Conlin et al (2009, p. 362) the causes of conflicts include technical problems commercial problems and interpersonal differences. Construction industry is complex in nature and the contracts between the parties envisage generally provision for arbitration of the disputes likely to arise in the course of business. According to Harmon (2003, p. 187) complex construction projects result into complex disputes inter alia due to poor documentation. The effectiveness of arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution depends upon these provisions clearly spelt out in the contracts and the effective mechanisms for the arbitration available in the country. Apart from the commercial disputes, arbitration in respect of disputes arising out of employme nt of labour is also very important since this industry is labor intensive and involves employment of workers of the company or contractor, labour contractors and other sub-contractors. Objectives This paper seeks to analyze the effectiveness of arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) within the U.K. ... Arbitration as ADR provides a forum for the experts in the construction field for taking decisions in line with the industry norms and established practices which makes the settlement process more effective. Simplicity and flexibility in the arbitration process enhances the working relationship among the parties to the dispute. Evolution of Arbitration in the United Kingdom Noussia (2010, p. 9) stated â€Å"Arbitration is the most traditional and well-known form of alternative dispute resolution. It arises mostly, though not exclusively, from pre-dispute contracts in which the parties agree that if a dispute arises, it will be resolved by arbitration.† Proliferation of industries in the aftermath of industrial revolution which started in the UK and the rise of Labor Party to prominence led to the passage of Trade Dispute Act in 1906. The intent of the legislations and regulations is to encourage conciliation and arbitration in the proceedings for resolving the trade disputes a nd avoid legal proceedings in the courts of law. In the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act, 1992, Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration have been recognized as important Alternative Dispute Resolution methods. The procedures relating to the commercial arbitrations have been streamlined as a systematic code of law by the Arbitration Act 1889 incorporating the established practices earlier adopted with suitable amendments. Brooker and Lavers (1997, p. 519) stated â€Å"disputes are a significant phenomenon within the UK construction industry and that they are a matter of importance to the disputants as well as to the other stakeholders such as developers, owners, non-owning occupiers,

Indians and Alcohol in Early America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Indians and Alcohol in Early America - Essay Example Professor Mancall fascination with other subjects -- Geography, for example, or other things Dutch -- served his writings as well, and also made for interesting subjects in his essays and short script pieces. A very important author, who deserves to be more widely translated,. Peter C. Mancall has a unique talent among contemporary History authors. Emphatically Europeans -- and the grand old man of contemporary Indian History --, his books easily transcends national borders. There is not anything regional about his writing. If anything symbolizes his writings, it is certain darkness and a certain message. The gloom is not oppressive in his writings particularly in his book "Deadly Medicine, Indians and Alcohol in Early America". Professor Mancall is not out to weigh his reader down. He is, however, a realist, and insists that certain things need be said. Teachers and students and workers are satisfied with his teachings and we as readers do not see many of his critics -- Peter C. Mancall will have none of that. He presents the fact, cruel as it seldom is. He feels no immense push for to round off his stories with ends in a meaningful ways.The message is also persistent: He shares a sense of how to employ it with ecstasy, drowning into deep history. Years of writing and teachings have giv... He is among the few male authors able to create particularly strong History environment. A gifted illustrator, he skills his books. The words alone suffice, but Peter C. Mancall illustrations and sense of presentation manage to improve even on these. There is no question: Peter C. Mancall is one of the major authors writing in History today. Review On "Deadly Medicine, Indians And Alcohol In Early America" This book "Deadly Medicine, Indians and Alcohol in Early America" consists of seven chapters excluding the prologue and epilogue. The book consists of 296 pages in all. The book basically describes alcohol since the American ancient times and its impact upon the early Indians who settled in early America. Alcohol violence has destroyed and ruined American Indians from the time of seventeenth century, when European colonist began doing business of furs and alcohol. In the first book to investigate the genesis of this current social crisis, Peter C. Mancall discovers the liquor's business overwhelming contact on the Indian societies of imposing America. The Professor Mancall pursues the track of liquor from the West Indian manufacturers to the regal vendors and on to the Indian customers in the eastern woods. To learn why Indians contributed in the alcohol business and why they practiced such a commanding longing for alcohol, he concentrate on present health views on alcoholism and re-inspects the colonial period as a time when Indians were outlining novel approaches for endurance on earth that had been fundamentally distorted. Lastly, Professor Mancall evaluates Indian consumption in New France and New Spain with that in the British settlements. Everlastingly devastating the label of t he

Partnership like relationships exists between consumers and suppliers Essay

Partnership like relationships exists between consumers and suppliers and provides advantages such as greater quality - Essay Example Theoretical frameworks exist in abundant supply that try to delineate the advantages of close cooperation between partners in supply chain mechanisms. In practice however things are far more different as the specific attributes of such working relationships are not fully understood (Goffin, 2006). Overall there has been a move towards close cooperation based relationships though the actual realised benefits of such relationships is not fully established and is generally overestimated. The range of relationships between various entities in the supply chain domain varies from transactional type relationships to close and more collaborative relationships. Another issue of importance that needs clarification is the use of the term â€Å"partnership† that has been used to describe such relationships though there is no legal or other justification for using such a term. The use of the term â€Å"partnership† has caused confusion in respect of these relationships on a number o f fronts though three major reasons are more significant. These reasons are: Customer / supplier relationships are purely business relationships though they may be described as partnerships. However the use of the term does not indicate any legal privileges are inferred as in the case of a business partnership or alliance. This clearly demonstrates that customer / supplier partnerships do not carry any legal value and are instead purely voluntary in nature; Any partnership like relationships between supply chain entities are not absolute but are rather context dependent. The extent of closeness of the subject relationship determines the variations in such relationships and previous research supports such contentions (Ellram, 1991) (Saxton, 1997). It can be inferred from this that the particular degree of closeness in a relationship provides the necessary insight to explore such relationships although the degree of closeness is not absolute; Relationships based on the partnership mod el alone cannot attempt to explain the supplier side of relationships fully although this is universally assumed as such (Goffin, 2006). A large amount of material exists on the value of close customer and supplier relationships although this is not relevant to the issue at hand. Instead this text will focus more on why such close relationships are not performing as desired or expected using three different approaches. These approaches include: assessing the appropriateness of close relationships between customers and suppliers; creation of and sustainability of close relationships between customers and suppliers; contextual nature of close relationships between customers and suppliers. 1. Appropriateness The majority of literature on relationships between suppliers and customers has implied that close relationships are desirable though such literature has failed to provide due consideration to any contextual causes or to the effectiveness of such relationships. As an example a larg e amount of literature has concentrated on implying that manufacturers and their suppliers should have close relationships and have indicated that these relationships have evolved into partnerships over the last two decades. However such literature has failed to account for a few transactional relationships that not only exist but are also desirable. Similarly there has been talk of evolution of such relations

Final Questions 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Final Questions 2 - Essay Example Thus Presidents Bill Clinton and Dwight D. Eisenhower have enjoyed wide popularity and acclaimed great by virtue of the prosperous times they served the nation (Griffin and Hines, 2008). President Abraham Lincoln, in my humble opinion, is undoubtedly the best American president. He stood firm in ensuring the victory of the Federal Government over the seceding Southern States during the American civil war. The victory, indeed, changed the America history as it not only led to consolidation of the union, but also led to the emancipation of African-Americans from the bonds of slavery. Furthermore, Abraham Lincoln beliefs and actions are foundations of many American’s ideas. For instance, his definition of democracy as the government of the people, by the people and for the people has become the universally accepted definition of democracy. Franklin D. Roosevelt had enormous impact on American history. He fought and won two of the greatest threat to the America – the Great Depression and the World War II. His aggressive and well implemented New Deal Program changed American history while his focused and committed leadership led to the defect of the Allies forces during the Second World War. While some presidents become great by influencing the time they served, others become great by virtue of the time they serve.

Safe and Quality Healthcare Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Safe and Quality Healthcare Services - Essay Example So as we see, FMEA is a precautionary process, which helps prevent problems and help deal with them in an effective and organized manner, if they were to occur. This analytical method has been used since several decades in the production and engineering industry and has proved to be an excellent tool in identifying and reducing hazards. It examines each individual component of a particular system to determine a number of ways in which each component could fail and, not only this, but the effect of a particular failure on the stability of the entire system. (Spath, 2003) One of the major concerns in the healthcare industry is safety. The assurance that a patient is in reliable hands and that the treatment being done or service being offered is safe up to quality standards. For patient safety and wellbeing, healthcare service providers must adopt a set of rules or standards to abide by. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) assumed responsibility for the certification of hospitals in 1951, back then, the standards continued to uphold a safe environment. Because of increasing public concern with the problem of medical errors and patient injuries, JCAHO reinforced its commitment to patient safety. Commencing in 1996, JCAHO introduced a number of new standards that are intended to maintain continuous improvement in the safety of the services provided to the public. (Spath, 2003) In addition to adopting well defined processes used in healthcare services and assuring that the personnel performing the processes are competent, there is a need for more safety and precautionary measures. The solution to this lies in other industries. This is when JCAHO executives considered standard changes to adopt a more a proactive approach to risk reduction, they researched many other techniques to improve safety used in other high-risk industries to find one that would be adaptable to health care services as well. (Spath, 2003) The process So, basically FMEA is a proactive approach and it consumes little time and resources when compared to the return on investments. The National Center for Patient Safety website developed by the Veterans Affair, devised a set of steps applying the traditional FMEA to healthcare. The process is as follows: 1. Choose a process to study. JCAHO requires the

Comparing Nursing Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Comparing Nursing Education - Research Paper Example Despite Florence Nightingale’s efforts to train women and recruit them in bid to acquire recognition in the professional fields, recognition of such efforts was slow (Basel $ Karger 1971). The fault of views as this concerning profession can be traced to nursing leaders for stating that nursing is based on values as nurturing, thoughtfulness, kindness and being caring. This way technical knowhow and professionalism is left out of question to present the profession as one which does not require any education or advanced ideas of Medicare. Nursing however utilizes advanced technologies in Information technology and cosmetic care in providing comfort to persons. It incorporates use of response technology and technical knowledge in fields of medicine to administer such as analgesics to pain management processes. This recognition led to revolutions for advancement of nursing as a career. As feminism set in, in the 20th century, such ideologies were no just put down by the advocates of professional acknowledgement of women in various fields they were also rejected with such slogan as ‘women should be doctors, not nurses.† The revolution concerning gender has gone further to illustrate that men also should be allowed into such â€Å"feminine† professions without being look down upon by the society. This advancements followed suit of Florence Nightingale’s system of nursing. In China, aspects of nursing go back to tradition. It utilized family members to provide care for sick relatives. As a profession, nursing only developed after the arrival of missionaries to China. The first nurse, Elizabeth Mc kenchie to arrive in China from the Western world in 1884 introduced the Nightingale method of nursing. The first nursing school was then introduced in Fachou by Ella Johnson in 1888. Afterward a training program was set up by Nina Gage (1910). This training was

Power and Privilege Homogeneous Choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Power and Privilege Homogeneous Choice - Essay Example Additionally, we all have a natural desire to preserve those parts of us that are unique or particularly cherished, and pass them on to our progeny. While racism and prejudice are always an unacceptable approach to our differences, there should also be an allowance for individuals to interact positively with one another while preserving their own culture, traditions, and values. I believe that it is possible to truly respect the differences between individuals and cultures, while retaining the natural comfort level found in individual association with those of similar background and world view. I call this homogeneous choice. As an individual, I am naturally aware of the differences between myself and others. Whether those variations are cultural or behavioral, I know that I can face a personal dilemma as I react to those differences; I can choose to accept them or oppose them in some way. In his article on the subject of diversity, David Brooks points out that it is in my nature to be around others like myself, and that I have the power to organize my life so that my contact with people radically different from me is limited (Brooks 31). That does not make me, however, an opponent of integration or a racist; it doesn't even mean that my personal choices are necessarily intentional. Things like personal comfort tend to occur absent specific and directed analysis, and my respectful reaction to others of different cultures can similarly be natural and uncomplicated. If I like a particular individual, regardless of cultural background, I simply like them. I don't sit around trying to analyze why I like them or what it is about them that makes them likeable; I just know that I am comfortable with them. Similarly, there are people for whom I don't especially care and that discomfort has nothing to do with race, creed, color, or any of the other common prejudicial points of view. I can respect the individual, even though I am not comfortable being around them every day, without being driven by prejudice against their culture; and that is the point. The nexus of these ideas can be articulated one word: Respect. If my responses to the differences in people I meet, and their unique way of perceiving the world, are respectful of their point of view, I can avoid a negative perspective that includes prejudice or racism. Different isn't bad, it is just different. Neither do I have to embrace all of the differences I encounter, or even like them, and include them in my choices for frequent association. I can respect my own perspective as a valid point of view, and extend that same consideration to the people I meet. The guiding principle for me, as for most other people, is personal comfort. I am naturally more comfortable with certain cultures than others, especially my own. As Brooks points out, people are "finding places where [they] are comfortable and where [they] feel [they] can flourish" (30). While he goes on to lament the lack of diversity in American culture, I don't think that it is appropriate to force people out of their personal comfort zones to accomplish a specific diversity goal. In America, the freedom of association is a constitutional right, and for good reason. Individual freedom is about flourishing within a chosen environment and I should be allowed to make those choices that promote my

Tom's Shoes Link to Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tom's Shoes Link to Society - Essay Example He was hurt by this condition and felt the need to do good and help those children he saw in the streets. He promised himself that he was to do anything possible to help these children hence Blake and his team decided to take a financial risk and started shoes manufacturing company. He decided that, for every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is donated to the needy child in the society (Schermerhorn 148). Furthermore, children not only in Argentina, but also across the world that many live under poverty life and cannot even afford even the basic needs. These children walk barefoot hence get infected by soil diseases, which go through their bare foot. Most children are likely to get sores, cuts and other injuries that later become serious wounds increasing the infections of diseases to their bodies. In order to avoid these shoes play an essential role in preventing children and even adults in poor rural areas from getting infected from these diseases. On the other hand, children from poor families do not go to school due to lack of shoes, which is part of school dress code. Meaning these children will not go to school to get the education that will help them better their future. Therefore, TOMS has promoted education since many children who never went to school because they lacked shoes now can go to school and there is a reduction in the high spread of soil diseases that infect the p oor in society. The company dispersed ten thousand pairs of shoes to needy children in Argentina in the year 2006. It has also distributed shoes to needy children in over 40 countries across the world among them Rwanda, USA, Argentina, South Africa, Rwanda, Haiti among many other developing countries. As a result, the organization has attracted many donors and has received grants and funds from them. This made the company expand its business and

Economic Value Of Tourism In London Dissertation

Economic Value Of Tourism In London - Dissertation Example Street markets are one of those places that are under the direct influence of such tourists due to direct interaction between tourists, traders, management of such places and other personnel, and social elements involved. They are considered as a source of major revenue generation for the residents of the city and also considered as tourists’ attraction by federal and local authorities. Due to their strategic importance for the cities, these markets undergo changes and developments (at the different pace and of different nature) whereas these changes are promulgated by traders, management of these street markets and local officials in response to purchasing trends of local and foreign customers. However, the research is mainly focused on responses of street markets to tourists visiting these places. The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of tourism on the street markets of London. For the purpose of this research, various street markets like Camden markets, Borough Market, Brick Lane Market and Portobello market have been selected as subjects of the research. Such selection has been made to include markets from different geographic locations. Also, most of these markets have the varied profile in terms of product portfolio, traders, management, history and culture which would be helpful in adding diversity to the research and enhancing generalization of its application on the larger population. It is important to note that street markets are considered as a reflection of local culture. Due to the rich history and their direct relation with local inhabitants, they not only act as a hub of socialization but also act as a source of preservation of local heritage. Furthermore, they also provide the sense of community to those working there and residing at the same place. Street markets also provide a feel of originality and an opportunity for external visitors for getting in touch with local norms and values.

Landscape design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Landscape design - Essay Example We have civilization because we are able to distort the natural environment for our benefit. Functional landscapes are those that necessitate few resources in order to be maintained. The landscaping boom of the twentieth century in rural and urban environments altered the land through the use of supplementary resources. "Currently, we frequently select plants that are not highly adapted to dry climate regions and need regular care and attention to perform well" (ATTN). Since the onset of Conservation campaigns of the 1980s, we are quickly finding that the most functional landscapes are those whose native state has remained intact. The native species and their particular interactions with water, light, and soil in Mediterranean climates are those that landscape architects are returning to now, for their inherent ability to succeed in arid or semi-arid environments with relatively little rainfall. The ability to design functional landscapes around the parameters of native environments is the landscaper's role in sustainability. In order to be considered functional and sustainable, design concepts in both rural and urban areas should be guided by bioregionalism. Bioregionalism is the idea that life species native to specific regions or microclimates are those suited to the given environment. The coupling of those life systems and its environment creates a self-sustaining ecosystem and necessitates no use of additional resources. The scientific concept of bioregionalism is used in practice for landscape architects and known as green landscape design. Green landscape design is a sub-discipline of landscape design. Like green building, it is setting a new, more environmentally friendly standard for its parent field. The field generally emphasizes the use of native plants to restore or maintain natural habitats and the healthy functioning of ecosystems. (Kravitz 2006) The methods taken at the initial planning stages determine the forthcoming sustainability of the areas altered. Responsible techniques taken at the design stage will ensure that while alterations in landscape take place, it is with little or no detriment to the land's natural state. During this architectural conception, the landscaper must endeavor to maintain the integrity of the natural ecosystem. A benefit of returning landscapes to their natural states is that few natural resources are needed. Watering and supplemented nutrients like mulch and fertilizers are kept to a minimum. This principle encompasses a landscape designer's use of xeriscaping, turfgrasses, hardscaping, plant location, and plant selection. Soil nutrition and water conservation are part of the bioregion to consider. Designers reconstruct landscapes using their natural biology. The ability to maintain constructed landscapes with minimal additional resources is the concept of a sustainable/functional environment. Xeriscaping Xeriscaping is an ideal technique within Mediterranean climates and its microclimates. The process is carried out by using drought tolerant plants. The potential in xeriscaping evolves from the choice of flora. The use of drought tolerant plants conserves water; these are often the native species that occur within the arid Mediterranean climate. In this, xeriscaping is dually advantageous. Less water is needed for

Annual report Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Annual report Project - Assignment Example The employees at the organization work with partners at the enhancement of the lives of citizens everyday globally. The latest financial annual report for the company is for the year 2013 and it has an ending date for the fiscal year as 29th December, 2013. The company’s core business is in the pharmacy health care provision business and currently it has an integrated offerings spectrum across the pharmacy care spectrum. Thus, it seeks at the effective management of pharmaceutical costs and improving the outcomes of the health care through a pharmacy benefit management (PBM) program. This is centered on the fact that most people are overwhelmed by the ever rising costs in health care; thus, becoming confused. For instance, in 2013 alone, the company’s business delivered an outstanding performance in the pharmaceutical segment through its key strengths such as in the sale of key brands like over-the-counter (OTC) medicine and a continual progress in the integration of the Synthes, Inc. into its Medical Devices and Diagnostics business. Largely, the company has three main business segments: Pharmaceutical, Consumer and Medical Devices Diagnostics. Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies has a wide geographical coverage that spans mainly in the US, but, it also has a global coverage centered on the achievement of global health standards. It has more than 275 companies that operate in more than 60 countries, in the world. In achieving this, the company has set itself as the largest and diverse company in the offering of medical devices and diagnostics, the sixth largest consumer health company and the fifth largest company globally in biologics. The name of the company’s accountant or auditor is known as PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as was appointed in the latest annual general meeting. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, as an independent

Paul Tillich and His Theology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Paul Tillich and His Theology - Essay Example Even brief analysis of the political and cultural contexts that surrounded Tillich during his life and career reveals how strongly those contexts affected his theological views.   Born on August 20, 1886, in a little village called Starzeddel, Germany, Paul was introduced to religion early in life. His father was a Lutheran minister and his mother was brought up as a more liberal Calvinist. Paul received his Ph.D. from Breslau in 1911 and was ordained as a Lutheran minister, like his father, in 1912 (Pauck & Pauck, 1976). The period from Tillich’s birth to the First World War was the time when his theological system only started to develop. Born in the last quarter of the 19th century, Tillich spent his young years surrounded by the spirit and traditions of Romanticism, the dominant movement in the European culture of that period. The Romantic protest against the rationalization of nature, coupled with the stress on the emotional aspects of existence and, of course, confronting the sublimity of nature could not but affect the way Tillich perceived his relation to the surrounding world (Henderson, 1986).   Tillich's perception of the world was put to the severe test during the years of World War I. Tillich headed toward the front â€Å"†¦.filled with nationalistic fervor and even enthusiasm over the opportunity to serve both God and country as a military chaplain† (Henderson 1986, p. 143). However, the realities of war almost immediately undermined Tillich’s belief in â€Å"†¦a nice God who would make everything turn out for the best† (Pauck & Pauck, 1976, p.40). One of his duties was to bury the dead and soon the young chaplain found himself spending more time digging graves than fulfilling his direct duties (Henderson, 1986).

Geographic coordinate system, Essay Example for Free

Geographic coordinate system, Essay Sextant- allowed users to determine their latitude to within a sea mile or two The gnomon or sun-shadow disk- operated like a sundial, enabling the user to determine his latitude by the length of the suns shadow cast on a disk floating level in water. The Arabian kamal- a rectangular plate that one moved closer or farther from ones face until the distance between the North star and the horizon exactly corresponded to the plates upper and lower edges. The distance the plate lay away from the face—measured by a string tied to the center of the plate and held at the other end to the tip of the nose—determined the latitude. cross staff Tools used to measure longitude (Lesson 02.01) (use the first resource in this lesson to help you) Be able to list and describe the 2 main tools used to measure longitude in early navigation the chronometer- the sextant to figure longitude using the lunar-distance method Current Navigation Tools (Lesson 02.01) What tool do we currently use to determine location (latitude and longitude)? The Global Positioning System, Longitude and Latitude (Lesson 02.01) Know the ways that longitude and latitude run (N to S or E to W) and what they measure Longitude E to W know how far east or west they were of the Prime Meridian Latidude N to S how far north or south they were from the equator What are longitude and latitude measured in? they measure in degrees Challenger Expedition (Lesson 02.02)—Best resource link to use = â€Å"Account of the Voyage of the Challenger† Besides conducting sampling of the waters on its journey, what were the main findings from the Challenger voyage? found many new species, and provided collections for scores of biologists. What tool was used to do measure the depths of the ocean? The Challenger was equipped with 144 miles of sounding rope What are the 2 pieces of equipment used to collect bottom samples on the Challenger? At left is a shallow-water dredge, whereas a deep-sea trawl is shown at right. What was a newly invented piece of equipment used on the Challenger ship to get water samples called? Buchanan Water Sampler In which zone of the rocky shore would you most likely find only grasses and patches of lichens? splash zone What type of animal uses the rocky shore for their ‘feeding’ grounds? white-tailed deer in the winter What is the name of a plant-like species found in rocky shores? seaweed What is the special adaptation of these organisms found in the rocky shore ecosystem?—to do this, match up the following (Match the organism with its adaptation) Cky shore and tidal pools—what kinds of adaptations do they have that enable them to survive the pounding waves while staying in place, tidal changes (periods of time covered with water or periods of time with no water), sunlight exposure, evaporation of water that may leave concentrated salts behind, blending in to avoid predators What are the physical changes that occur in the rocky shore (3 main ones—think tides, salt content, and wave action)? Rock pools flat area of rock, back part forms a cliff where the front part is flat and in the water, formed by waves, wind, and rain Platform sloping shoreline where group of large rocks found on calm shorelines Boulder fields?depression left from a boulder grinding into a rock that hold water Crustaceans (Lessons 02.05 and 02.04) What 3 special adaptations do crustaceans have that allow them to survive in the rocky shore ecosystem? What characteristics do all crustaceans share (need to be specific) What is the best characteristic to help you identify a crustacean? What are the 3 main example types of crustaceans? Referenses: Baker, K. B., and S. Wing. A new magnetic coordinate system for conjugate studies at high latitudes. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 94.A7 (1989): 9139-9143. Dabek, Frank, et al. Vivaldi: A decentralized network coordinate system. ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review. Vol. 34. No. 4. ACM, 2004. Gustafsson, G., N. E. Papitashvili, and V. O. Papitashvili. A revised corrected geomagnetic coordinate system for Epochs 1985 and 1990. Journal of atmospheric and terrestrial physics 54.11-12 (1992): 1609-1631. Priyantha, Nissanka B., et al. Anchor-free distributed localization in sensor networks. Proceedings of the 1st international conference on Embedded networked sensor systems. ACM, 2003. Goodchild, Michael F. Citizens as sensors: the world of volunteered geography. GeoJournal 69.4 (2007): 211-221.

Edward Marshall Boehm Essay Example for Free

Edward Marshall Boehm Essay Edward Marshall Boehm is a farmer, veterinarian and nature lover living near New York. He is in the art porcelain business. His product is well-known of its quality and uniqueness. The Boehms wanted to position the company for the long run. Their goals for the company were â€Å"to make the world aware of Mr. Boehm’s artistic talent, to help world wildlife causes by creating appreciation and protection for threatened species, and to build a continuing business that could make them comfortably wealthy, perhaps millionaires. There are two main issues facing by the company. First, the process of making these porcelain products is complicated and required detailed technical skills; the company does not have enough skilled staffs and producing power to meet the demand from the market. Second, the company lacks of enough distribution channels to raise awareness of its brand and the uniqueness of its products. The contribution of the case to strategic management is that Edward Marshall Boehm wants to set a detailed demographic where everyone in the world would be able to see. In order for him to show off his demographic he has to go through special procedures in order to do so. There are levels to managing his creations how he wants to sell them and who how he want to sell them to. In strategic management you must know your target market and area. You must also know that it takes certain levels of skilled workers in order to compete with major competition. Recommendations for solving the problem of the company can be to try to reduce costs by using other materials at a lower cost or developing a faster production process. Due the fact that the most competitive advantage of the company is the uniqueness and high quality of the product, the company should preserve its quality instead of using cheaper materials or faster production time that may violate the value of its products. First, the company should hire more staffs and train them to produce the products in order to increase production of lower priced products. Meanwhile, it should find more distributors to raise awareness of the company with larger markets.

Paths To Salvation In Bhagavad Gita Religion Essay

Paths To Salvation In Bhagavad Gita Religion Essay This essay is about the paths to salvation in Bhagavad-Gita. Others religion such as: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism have one path to salvation. This path to salvation means complete devotion to god. In the Bhagavad-Gita, there are three paths to salvation. They are Bhakti, Janna and Karma yoga, also kwon as the yoga of knowledge, the joga of devotation and the joya of action. Those paths have the same goal. This goal is to achieve salvation. The first path, Bhakti, also known as the Goya of devotion, means loves and blisss goal. The way to attain Morsha is through devotion for god. Keep me in your mind and devotion, sacrifice to me, bow to me, discipline your self toward, and you will reach me![ 1]. In the Vaishavana pantheon, this path has five forms: Santa, Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalva and Madhura. The first of them is calm devotion for god. The other four involve emotional attachment with god. For example Sakhya is treating god as a friend. Dasya is serving god. Madhuara is treating god as husband. Vatsalya is treating god as a child. In Bhagavad-Gita, there are nine acts of devotion: Sravana, which is hearing of god, Kirtana which is praising god, Sharama, which is remembering god, Padasevana, which is service in general, Arcana, which is worshiping, Vandana which is bowing, Dasya, which is serving like a servant, Sakhaya which is befriending god and athanivedana, which is making total surrender. The salvation and moksha are achieved through complete devotion to krisha. The second path, Janna is also known as the yoga of knowledge. When ignorance is destroyed by knowledge of the self, then, like the sun, knowledge illumines ultimate reality.[ 2]. This path allows people to discover the way of wisdom, to discover what truth is, what is eternal, and what is not eternal. Knowledge leads to the achievement salvation. With the knowledge, people find spiritual peace, which means salvation. With the knowledge, people can break the barrier of the ignorance that trapped the person. Knowledge is like the sunlight that illuminates the dark path. With the knowledge people can find the union with god. Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana are the three means in Janna. The first one is learning from or listening to a teacher. The second one is to remember and reflect on the teaching, and the third one is to meditate on the truth spoken. These means in Janna lead to the discovery of truth. The third path, Karma is also known as the Yoga of action. Be intent on action, not on the fruits of actions, avoid attraction to the fruit and attachment to inaction[3]. This path teaches that the people should act in good faith, which should help other people without anything in return, to act without rancor, without malice, without hate, and to act selflessly. Doing these acts is the only way to find the truth of Brahman that leads to salvation. In conclusion, I would say that the three paths lead to salvation. Gita is considered the most important because require a total and unconditional surrender to god. This path is the devotion of Yoga. This essay is about the central elements of Vedic religion. During this time, there were written sacred scripture. Those scriptures talk about the religion practices that occurred in this time. Those scriptures are known as the four Vedas: Rig Veda, Althar Veda, Sama Veda, and Yagur Veda. Those texts contains hymns and chants that describe this particular moment .During this period, the priests who represent the highest and well educated class in the society were responsible for the rituals and read of the text. Performing rituals became an important part of their daily life. One common ritual was the sacrifice of animals. Also, chanting and prayer were common religious practices too. The rig Veda is considering the most important of the four Vedas. It Contains 1028 hymns, those are divided into eight or ten books. Those hymns contain some wonderful pieces of poetry and were used in rituals. The rituals were performed by the priests, who were responsible for everything. I would say that those rituals were for some noblemen and for the wealthy. In these rituals people prayed for rain, prayed for their family, for the long life and for their harvest. Jajna was an important method of sacrifice. This means building an altar. The performance was around the altar. Fire and offering were thrown into it. The offering included things like butters, milk, meat, cooked grain, intoxicating drink, and other items. The priests invoke gods to seek their blessing. These rites were performed during various interval of the year. Many purposes were associated with this sacrifice. For example they did it during sowing period, during harvest time, and for some social events. The sacrifice of horse was performed in this period only by the kings. This sacrifice was made in order to prove their influence and valor. In this period, there was no scientific explanation for natural phenomena such as rain, wind, and thunder. People feared them and thus worshipped them. This mean that people worshipped different forms of nature as god like earth, moon, sun, rain, sun and other natural phenomena. They believe that the priest posses supernatural power and could control adverse forces by magical means. In conclusion, I would say that during this period the power of the priest increased and animal sacrifice also increased in the name of the religion. Rituals and hymns became common practices of their daily life. The evolution of this religion gave raise to new beliefs and new gods. This essay assignment is about comparing and contrasting both Hinduism and Buddhism religion. Both the Hindus and Buddhist believe in reincarnation or what happens after the life, both follow the same path in order to achieved salvation. Another point they have in common is that both religions were originated in India. There are differences between both religions. For example, Hinduism believes in the caste system and it has three main gods. Buddhism does not believe in the caste system and does not believe in god. Another difference is that Buddhism spread into others countries and Hinduism stayed in India. One similarity is that both the Hindus and Buddhist religion believe in reincarnation that means freedom or release from the cycle of birth and death. Both believe that there are two places that you could go after the death, either you could go to heaven or you could go to hell. Another point that it has in common is that both Hinduism and Buddhism follow the same path to achieve salvation. A further dissimilarity is that both religions were originated in India. One difference is that Hinduism has many gods that govern different aspects of their life. For example, there are three main gods called Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva. Vishnu, who is the preserver, is represented by water. Brahma, who is the creator, is represented by earth, and Shiva, who is the destroyer, is represented by fire. Those gods were believed to control the forces of the nature. Sacred animals are used in Hinduism in order to invoke gods and seek their blessings. Buddhism is a religion that does not believe in god and follows the four noble truths, which are: suffering, origin of the suffering, selflessness and truth of the Path. The eight fold path describes the ways in which every person must live and also advocates the pursuit of many goals in ones life including wealth, prosperity, happiness and love. Another difference is that salvation in Hinduism is known as morksha. This mean release or freedom from the cycle of birth and death. In Buddhism, salvation is known as nirv ana. This means release from this world and the suffering of the human condition. Another difference is that Hinduism believed in the caste system, which means that the society is divided in four classes; those are Brahmins, which were the highest and well educated class represented by the priests. Kshatriyas , which were responsible for the society. Merriments, which were represented by the merchants and Sudras, which were represented by the lowest class and excluded from the religion. Buddhist religion does not believe in caste system. Another difference is that Buddhism spread into many other countries and Hinduism stayed in India. Hinduism is more understable and comprehendible than Hinduism. Buddhist accepted everybody openly and Hinduism accepted people who were born into the caste system. In conclusion, I would like to say that both religions have differences and similarities. The most common similarities is that both religions have the same goal. This goal is to achieve salvation after the death. Both religions prescribe different ways in order to achieved freedom. One religion believes in god and in the caste system, and the other one does not believe in god and does not believe in the caste system.